Yu-Gi-Oh! - Forgotten Royalty
by Lady Creepypasta
Summary: Yugi and friends thought that the past was finally where it belonged, but unfortunately it once again came back to haunt Ryo Bakura. With bad memories flooding back to him, Ryo has to discover the truth behind certain events in Ancient Egypt which now threaten the fate of the world. But he must be prepared to learn the shocking truths no one else ever knew...
1. Chapter I

_**Yu-Gi-Oh! - Forgotten Royalty**_

 **~Chapter I~**

 _Egypt, over 5,000 years ago_

"Pharaoh, the guards have caught her," Seto spoke to Aknamkanon, ruler of Egypt, while kneeling respectfully. He had only just recently been officially appointed as one of the high priests who would protect the current king's heir, Atem, in the near future.

"Who?" queried Aknamkanon, who sat upon his throne with his son stood by his side. "The Queen of Outcasts?"

"Yes," Seto informed, looking up at his king. "She is currently in the dungeon. Her fate is up to you."

Aknamkanon stared down at the young priest for a moment before he finally spoke up. "Bring her before me," he commanded. "I will try to be merciful, but as you may know her crimes are rarely forgiven."

"Yes, my king," Seto responded, bowing his head before standing up and pointing to two guards. "You there! Bring in the woman!"

The two guards nodded and hastily left the throne room, heading to the dungeons. While waiting, Aknamkanon focused once again on Seto.

"If she refuses to accept my merciful terms, do not let her followers know of her fate," he ordered. "We don't want them terrorizing the city."

"Would it not be best if we ended their miserable lives as well?" Seto questioned.

"No," Aknamkanon replied firmly. "They may be outsiders to our society, but they are not enemies. They do not threaten our way of life."

"But we are threatening theirs by taking away their leader," Seto pointed out.

"Their leader is a true criminal," Aknamkanon reminded.

"As are her followers," Seto added.

"Seto, I have heard of a lot of deaths which have occurred under my reign," Aknamkanon explained. "I do not want to be responsible for any more chaos."

Seto stared up at the Pharaoh before bowing his head. "Of course, my king. I understand," he responded quietly. "...But how do we keep the queen's disappearance quiet to them?"

"We deny all knowledge of it," Aknamkanon answered. "We'll lead them to believe that her body was found by a guard on patrol, and that anyone who was suspected of murdering her was arrested."

Seto nodded. "I will personally inform her people of that story if it comes down to punishing her for her crimes," he confirmed. In response Aknamkanon nodded his head in understand, and at that moment the young woman was dragged into the room and forced to kneel before the Pharaoh.

Meanwhile, standing upon a tall row columns, was a young man with scruffy light grey hair. He wore the standard linen kilt much like the other common Egyptians, but he wore nothing else. From where he was perched he could see the Royal Palace, though he could not see what was going on inside. However, he did not need to see. He knew what was happening.

In his hand he clutched a golden bracelet which was shaped like a winding snake. Two very small amethyst pieces were used as the snake's eyes. The item originally belonged to the woman inside the palace, but now it was in this thief's possession. The young man glanced down at the article of jewellery for a very brief moment before looking back at the palace.

And, after staring long enough at the impressive structure, the thief ran along the columns and vanished from sight.

...

 _Japan, present day_

"Riko, would you please give me back my money?" Ryo requested, holding his palm out to the black-haired girl.

Riko grinned, holding it up in the air. "C'mon, you're the descendant of a thief, aren't ya?" she responded. "This should be easy for you to take back."

"I don't think that's quite how it works..." Ryo muttered.

"Yeah, Riko, don't be such a stinker," Joey chipped in, though he wasn't exactly trying to stop her. He just sat there.

"You know, going by that logic you should be bowing down to Yugi," Tristan added.

Riko rolled her eyes and let out a sigh, dropping the note of money into Ryo's hand. The white-haired male caught it, quickly shoving it back into his pocket as his female classmate flopped down onto a chair with an incredibly bored expression.

"Geez, you guys are so boring," Riko huffed. "No wonder I didn't hang out with you before."

"This is comin' from you, huh?" Joey reacted, shaking his fist in frustration. "If I were you, I'd have a little more respect, considering now we're the coolest guys around."

"How about we all just sit quietly and wait for the others to come back?" Tristan suggested, smiling nervously.

"Oh please, it's almost the end of lunch break," Riko scoffed. "They'll be going straight to class already."

"Perhaps we should be heading to class, too," Ryo suggested. "I'd rather not be late."

"Yeah, and apparently we have a transfer student comin' into our class or somethin'," Joey recalled, standing up and stretching.

"Let's go, then," added Tristan. "I don't wanna embarrass myself by walking in during an introductory speech."

Riko also stood up, following the group as they all went to their next class. They entered, seeing that not everyone had arrived yet. However, Yugi, Tea and Sakura were present.

"Hey! We were waitin' for you guys!" Joey snapped.

"Sorry, we thought you wouldn't wait for us," Tea apologized, chuckling a little. "Besides, you guys are capable of checking the time."

"Still, it doesn't hurt to let us know you're ditchin' us every once in a while," Joey murmured.

Ryo approached Yugi, who was sitting quietly and looking through his cards. "Yugi?"

At the sound of his voice, Yugi jumped a little in his seat. "Oh! Hey there, Ryo!" he responded, having almost dropped his cards.

"I'm sorry, did I frighten you?" Ryo asked, sounding rather guilty.

"N-No, I was just day-dreaming a little," Yugi answered, finally looking up at his classmate and smiling. Ryo tilted his head.

"You've been rather quiet for the past few days," he acknowledged. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Huh? Yeah! I'm fine, trust me!" Yugi replied. Ryo didn't look too convinced, but smiled back.

"Very well, if you say so," he said before sitting in his seat quietly.

In a few minutes, the whole class was full. The teacher came in and silenced everyone. Ryo and Yugi were both in separate day-dreams while Joey, Tristan and Riko all looked bored. Out of the group, Tea and Sakura were the only two people paying full attention.

"Class, before this lesson starts it is my duty to introduce you to a new classmate," the teacher spoke as a timid girl with long light blue hair stood beside him. "This is Janeiro Brazil. For this final school year she will be part of our school. I hope everyone here will make her feel welcome."

At the sound of her name, Ryo snapped out of his trance. _'Janeiro...?!'_ he thought, eyes wide in shock.

Seeing Ryo jolt up suddenly, Tristan nudged him. "You okay, Ryo?" he asked quietly. "Do you know her or something?"

Ryo continued to stare after briefly glancing back at his companion. "Well..." he whispered.

...

 _Japan, 3 years ago_

"Janeiro, please, wake up!" Ryo begged in a worried tone, kneeling down beside the unconscious girl. She did not respond to him in any way. The white-haired boy sat hugging his knees to his chest, tears in his eyes though he was not quite crying. He knew things like this could happen. He _let_ this happen.

"This is all my fault..." he whimpered. "I let this happen..."

 _"Oh, do stop whining,"_ growled the voice in his head. Ryo clamped his hands over his ears and tightly shut his eyes, gritting his teeth.

 _"She shouldn't have tried to take it,"_ the voice continued. _"She wasn't strong enough. This was all her fault."_

Ryo growled. "Shut up!" he cried out. "I agreed to help you, why must you make my life so difficult?!"

 _"What happened to her was out of my control,"_ the voice admitted. _"From now on you should avoid getting close to people. It's a waste of your time and a waste of my time, not to mention that things like this will happen a lot more."_

Ryo opened his eyes, staring down in complete horror at the blue-haired girl. Maybe the speaker was right; maybe he should distance himself from others.

...

 _Japan, present day_

"...I haven't spoken to her in a while," Ryo whispered to Tristan. "I doubt she will remember me..."

"Wait, you knew this girl?" Joey whispered, his voice a little louder than Tristan's and Ryo's.

"We used to live near each other," Ryo whispered to Joey. "That's how we became friends."

"So why'd ya stop speakin' to her?" Joey interrogated.

"...I'd rather not say," Ryo muttered sadly.

Joey shrugged. "Alright, I won't bug ya," he replied, leaning back in his seat with his hands behind his head. He assumed that it was a typical boy-and-girl teen situation.

Ryo continued to stare at Janeiro, but not once did she stop staring at the floor. It was likely that she no longer remembered him after what happened in the past, and if she did remember... she'd never forgive him.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	2. Chapter II

**~Chapter II~**

Once class had started, the group stared at Janeiro as they worked on the task given to them.

"So, eh... is someone gonna speak to her or not?" Joey asked.

"Don't be ridiculous, Joey, we'd look like total creeps," Tristan replied.

"She probably wants to focus on her work now, anyway," Tea added.

"Yeah," Sakura agreed. "We should talk to her once class ends; she seems incredibly shy."

As the group talked, Ryo could only stare. It had been three years, but he could never forget Janeiro's face. The event that occurred in the past had scarred him. Not badly, but he was still scarred.

No longer focusing on the others, the white-haired student arose to his feet. He didn't notice that his group of friends had fallen silent, also not feeling their eyes upon him. Almost absentmindedly Ryo approached the girl, stopping just behind her.

"...Um..." he murmured awkwardly, not knowing what to say. "Janeiro...?" Janeiro heard his soft voice, perking up a little before turning around sharply, appearing startled. She stared at him with wide violet eyes, and after a few moments, she seemed to recognize him.

"...You..." she gasped quietly, visibly starting to tremble. Ryo stared at her, his own eyes now wide. The fear she showed... She was still afraid of him. She didn't remember him as a friend at all.

"...You remember me..." was all Ryo managed to say in response to Janeiro's reaction.

Janeiro didn't respond at all. She could only stare, almost horrified at the sight of the other student. A part of her had known that he attended this school, but at the same time she had hoped to never encounter him again. Not after what happened in the past.

"Bakura," came the teacher's voice, catching Ryo's attention. "Please take a seat. The lesson is not over yet."

"Yes, sir," Ryo obeyed, nodding his head before returning to his desk. His group had been watching him the whole time, but none of them said anything about what had just happened. They, too, were aware of Janeiro's fear.

In fact, everyone stayed quiet until class ended. A lot of work had been accomplished, but there was always some slight tension in the air after what had happened. Ryo hadn't stopped feeling worried or guilty, and the others just felt awkward. Yugi was the one who seemed to sympathize with Ryo the most, though Tea and Sakura also felt sorry for him. He knew that new girl, and she knew him, but their experiences in the past did not seem like good ones.

While everyone was leaving, Ryo ran to catch up with Janeiro without saying a word to his friends.

"...Geez, what's that guy's problem?" Joey asked. "The new girl's scared of 'im."

"I think there's more to it than you think, Joey," Yugi commented quietly. "We all know that Ryo's had some trouble in the past. That Millennium Ring of his made him do terrible things; him having a few issues to solve with people really doesn't surprise me."

"Yugi's right," Tristan agreed. "His other half was a complete psycho. I'm sure he did all sorts of terrible things."

"Come on, guys, should we really be mentioning that stuff?" Tea asked. "We agreed to move on from it all..."

Yugi looked back at her, nodding his head. "You have a point, Tea," he agreed. "We agreed to never mention the events which occurred regarding the Pharaoh and all. And out of all of us, Ryo is the one who suffered the most. He hurt people he cared about, and he could do nothing to stop what his other half made him do."

As the group could only stand and talk about the sympathy they felt for their classmate, Ryo had managed to catch up to Janeiro once leaving the school building.

"Janeiro!" he called, his voice still maintaining its softness. Janeiro stopped walking and turned around, still appearing rather timid as the boy ran over to her.

Ryo stopped just a couple of feet away from her, taking a very brief moment to catch his breath before finally speaking.

"Janeiro... I have not seen you in three years!" he began. "I thought you moved far away..."

The girl stared at him, letting silence fill the air before she looked away and responded to the boy.

"We never moved..." she corrected quietly, rubbing her arm in a shy and nervous manner. "...Did... Did my parents never tell you anything...?"

Ryo tilted his head, eyes still wide and filled with guilty. "Huh...? Like what...?" he queried. Janeiro closed her eyes, bowing her head.

"I... I was in hospital..." she murmured. Ryo's eyes widened even more as he gasped softly in shock. In fact, he could feel himself trembling. It was all because of what happened the last time he saw her; he _knew_ it was.

"...H...Hospital..." the student muttered, mainly to himself as he processed the information he had inferred from Janeiro's announcement. He stared at the floor thoughtfully before looking back at the timid female. "...You were hospitalized... for as long as three years... because of me... right...?"

Janeiro was surprised that Ryo even remembered their last encounter. She was astonished that he was able to figure out why she was in hospital; his guess was correct.

"...So... you know..." the female spoke. "You really do remember what happened..."

"Of course I do," Ryo responded. "How could I forget such a thing? I awoke to the sight of your body lying on the ground... You were barely even alive!"

"That is true," Janeiro nodded sadly, not giving Ryo any eye-contact. "In all honestly, I myself thought that I would never wake up... but I did."

Again, Ryo remained silent for some time. He was still in complete shock; this girl had been in a coma for about three years, and it was all his fault. Well, he could only really blame himself, at least.

"...I..." he stuttered. "I... I'm... I'm so sorry!" Tears were in the white-haired boy's eyes. He hated hurting people. It wasn't in his nature.

Janeiro finally managed to look at him, but now Ryo was the one staring at the ground as tears dripped from his eyes. "I'm sorry!" he cried again.

"...What for...?" Janeiro finally asked in a gentle tone of voice, catching Ryo's attention and seeing just how baffled he was.

"...You didn't do anything wrong..." she continued. "You... You weren't the one who hurt me... I know it was someone completely different..."

That statement somehow shocked Ryo. She was right about it being someone else, but most people always saw Ryo and that evil half of his as one in the same. Janeiro knew that they were two completely different beings.

...Why that shocked Ryo should not have been a surprise. That's how she got hurt in the first place; she saw Yami Bakura. And she was not happy with his presence.

"...I... I suppose you are... partly right..." Ryo stammered. "...But... I should have... I could have..."

"Could have what?" Janeiro asked, facing him completely. "What could you have done? He overpowered you."

"I should have been stronger!" Ryo cried, clenching his fists angrily. "I should not have succumbed to his power! I should have fought back!"

Janeiro shook her head. "What can one mortal soul do against the soul of an ancient spirit?" she asked him. That question left Ryo stumped.

"...I..." he whimpered quietly before finally wiping away the tears which now dripped from his eyes. "I'm sorry! I didn't want anyone to get hurt! So many bad things happened because of me!"

Yugi had heard Ryo's outburst, as did his friends, as the group left the school building. He stopped walking and glanced over, seeing him stood there with his arm hiding his eyes. Ryo had always been relatively reserved, so finally seeing him cry like this was unusual.

But it was something Yugi wasn't surprised to see. After all, Ryo was one of the friendliest school students. He wouldn't hurt a fly, so it was normal for him to feel guilty and upset. Everything may have been over now, but not once did he ever get the chance to release his emotions.

"...Wow... he really is still bothered by his past actions, isn't he...?" Tea said while also staring at Ryo.

"Should we go over and make sure he's alright...?" asked Sakura.

"No," Yugi spoke. "He already has a friend with him; look."

Yugi pointed at Janeiro, reminding the others that she was there.

"Eh? The new girl?" Joey reacted. "C'mon, Yugi, you saw how freaked out she was earlier when she saw Ryo's face. They might've been friends a long time ago, but if that other half of his did something to her then I doubt she's okay with him."

Tristan punched Joey in the shoulder. "Don't you get it? He's trying to make things right!" he snapped.

"Yeah, and we've gotta let him do it on his own," Tea added. "And if anything ever goes wrong, we'll be there to catch him when he falls!"

"Tea's right," Yugi agreed. "If any of his past friends choose to leave him behind because of what happened, he still has us!"

Not aware of the group watching him, Ryo proceeded to weep ever so softly into his arm. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." he muffled.

Janeiro stared at him, her expression both shocked and sad. The boy was genuinely upset. He wasn't lying, nor was he being influenced by that fiend she encountered in the past. The evil spirit of the Millennium Ring.

In fact, Ryo wasn't even wearing the ring anymore.

"...Ryo..." Janeiro uttered softly, catching the other student's attention. "You... You don't have that pendant anymore... Does that mean that...?"

Ryo looked up at her once doing his best to dry his eyes. He looked down to where the Millennium Ring would usually be before he looked back at his old friend. "...He's gone..." he sniffled. "He's gone for good, Janeiro... I-I promise, he won't come back to hurt anybody ever again!"

His look of determination was all Janeiro needed to feel reassured in his words. In fact, she finally smiled ever so slightly for the first time.

"So you're safe now..." she told him. "You're free... He won't hurt you... or anyone you care about... ever again..."

Ryo was almost lost for words, but he smiled when understanding that Janeiro had forgiven him. Tears were still visible, but he was paying no attention to them. "Janeiro... Thank you..." he responded to her, sounding grateful for her forgiveness. "I... I thought you'd never want to speak to me again after what I- what _he_ did..."

Janeiro shook her head, still smiling sweetly. "I'm just glad to see that you're finally free from his control..." she admitted. "I-I was honestly afraid that you were still under his influence..."

"Well... that's something neither of us have to worry about anymore..." Ryo confirmed. "He's long gone... And he'll never return to hurt anyone every again..."

The blue-haired girl nodded and smiled kindly. "Well..." she said. "I-I'll be happy to start hanging out with you again, Ryo..."

Ryo beamed gleefully. "Would you like to hang out with my friends and I tomorrow?" he questioned. "T-Together we can all show you around the school! A-And I'd love to have some catch-up time with you... Of course, my friends need to get to know you, as well!"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Janeiro smiled. "Your friends do seem awfully nice... I'd love to get to know them all."

"Trust me, they're the best people you could ever get to know!" Ryo chirped. "They're kind, they're accepting and... well, they're what friends should be!"

Janeiro chuckled. "Tell them I can't wait to meet them," she said. "But right now I need to get going; I'll see you tomorrow, Ryo!"

And with that, she turned around and began making her way home.

"Goodbye!" Ryo waved enthusiastically as the girl left. Once she was out of sight he turned and started walking towards Yugi's group, seeing that they were all talking to each other.

Yugi was the one who noticed him coming over, making sure people like Joey and Riko weren't ranting about Ryo at all. Once he had hushed the topic, he smiled at the approaching student.

"Oh, hey, Ryo," he greeted. "Were you talking to the new girl? We saw you standing with her over there."

"Yes," Ryo nodded with a smile on his face. "Yes, I was talking to her. In fact, she is going to spend some time with all of us tomorrow. Is that alright?"

"Of course!" Yugi assured.

"She seems like a nice girl," Sakura commented.

"Yeah, but she seems real soft," Riko muttered, earning a punch to the shoulder from Sakura.

"I bet she's very nice!" Tea guessed excitably.

"Yeah," Tristan added. "I can't wait to get to know her!"

"Eh, we all know what yer planning, pal!" Joey snapped at his friend. Tristan laughed nervously as he flinched, putting his arms up to defend himself from his now-hostile companion. The others also laughed, including Ryo, since Joey's short-temper was always amusing to them when used on Tristan in such a way.

...

 _Janeiro's Apartment_

Janeiro sat by her desk, writing in her diary thoughtfully about the day's events. She had written every day in her diary ever since she woke up from her coma a few mere months ago - coincidentally at the same time as Pharaoh Atem's spirit passing on into the afterlife.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Today was... interesting. It was my first day at Domino High School, though I turned up quite late. I spent these past few months learning everything I need to know so that I could "continue" my "past subjects" here at school - I didn't want to be kept behind a few years because of my coma._

 _But it got very interesting when I found out that Ryo Bakura was in my class! It's been a very long time since I last saw him... I'll be honest, I was frightened when he initially came over to talk to me, but I found out that the evil spirit which used to possess him has gone! I'm looking forward to seeing him and his friends tomorrow!_

 _I'll keep you updated._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Janeiro_

The girl was about to close her journal, only to suddenly gasp and clutch her chest as if something had stabbed her. She made pained choking sounds, leaning against her desk before falling out of her chair and onto the floor. She used her free arm to try pulling herself back up, her other arm still trying to suppress the sudden pain.

Her pained expression soon contained an angered emotion, firmly grasping the pen and scraping it along the diary's page. Janeiro had started to angrily write the word "NO" all over the latest diary update.

NO. NO. NO.

NO.

NO. NO.

NO. NO. NO. NO.

As she wrote, she even began to growl out the very words she was writing.

"No... No... No, no, no, no, no!"

The female school student dropped the pen and tried to scream, not knowing what was happening to her. She pulled at her hair and scratched her head, face scrunching up with pain. Janeiro crawled across the floor towards her room's door, reaching one hand out to it before her eyelids suddenly felt heavy. Shortly after that, everything around her went black.

...

 _Domino High School, The Next Day_

Ryo stared at Janeiro's empty seat in class. He looked at the clock, seeing that the current lesson had already been going on for fifteen minutes. The teen was growing incredibly worried; why wasn't Janeiro in school?

"Well, won't you look at that?" Riko narrated, her tone of voice not amused. "Only in school for half a day and already Janeiro is taking a day off."

"Don't be so rude, Riko," Sakura huffed. "You don't know what goes on in her life. She might be unwell, or something personal might have happened."

"Tch. Whatever," Riko responded, rolling her eyes. Sakura frowned, but decided not to speak to the tomboy for now; her attitude was too much to put up with in a morning.

But Ryo remained worried, his mind wondering to other conclusions. He kept thinking back to three years ago, wondering if that had something to do with her absence.

 _"Janeiro, please, wake up!"_

Could something in his past be coming back to haunt him...? Or was he just being paranoid...?

 **~End of Chapter~**


	3. Chapter III

**~Chapter III~**

As students began gathering their belongings to leave once class had ended, Yugi caught sight of Ryo once again walking away on his own.

"Hey! Ryo!" he called out. Ryo responded to the voice by coming to a halt and turning around.

"Huh? What is it, Yugi?" he asked.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Yugi questioned. "Aren't you gonna stick with us?"

"I'm sorry, but I have to go," Ryo apologized.

"Eh? Go where?" Joey asked.

"Is this to do with that Janeiro girl again?" Tristan interrogated.

Ryo flinched at Tristan's guess, but wasn't afraid to be honest with his answer. "Yes," he confirmed. "I'm going to check on her and make sure she's alright."

"Hey, you can't just skip school to do that!" Tristan exclaimed angrily.

"She could be in danger!" Ryo shot back, trying to raise his voice to dominate the discussion.

"Danger? What danger?! There is no danger anymore!" Tristan argued.

"There is always danger!" Ryo shouted. His statement caused Tristan to fall silent, not knowing what to say in response.

At this moment, Yugi decided to step forward towards Ryo. "I have an idea..." he announced, trying to smile in a reassuring manner. "We'll all go and make sure she's alright after school. How does that sound?"

Ryo stared down at his classmate, unsure of what to say for a moment before he finally made his decision, looking down at the floor. "Very well..." he sighed, still sounding worried.

"Hey, don't worry, Ryo, I'm sure she's alright!" Yugi assured. "She's probably just caught a cold or something; it won't be anything too serious!"

"...I hope you're right, Yugi..." Ryo muttered, glancing at his friend. He really was worried about Janeiro; something definitely wasn't right about this.

...

 _Janeiro's Apartment_

Janeiro lay in her bed, not feeling well at all. She was in her pajamas, a cup of tea by her bedside. Her eyes were closed, but she was very much awake; she was just in a very thoughtful state.

After a minute or so, Janeiro sat herself up and reached for her tea. She sipped it carefully and then placed it back on her bedside table, now sitting upright as she continued to think to herself.

During the night she remembered having weird dreams. In fact, she had woken up with tears in her eyes. But, despite knowing that her dreams were weird and disturbing, she could not remember anything that had actually occurred in them. All she remembered was blacking out and then waking up shaking in shock as tears trickled down her cheeks.

As the girl sat drinking her tea, she heard the buzzer on her door go off. Someone was calling in on her.

For a moment Janeiro hesitated, but she soon clambered out of her bed and headed towards the door, slowly unlocking it. To her relief, Ryo and his friends were stood there.

"Janeiro!" Ryo reacted upon seeing her. "Are you alright...?!"

"I-I'm fine..." the girl assured. "Y-You guys didn't need to come here..."

"We just wanted to make sure you were alright," Tea smiled.

"Th-That's very sweet of you..." Janeiro replied. "But there's not need to worry so much about me... I just wasn't feeling very well this morning so decided not to come in..."

"I knew that Ryo was just over-reacting," Riko huffed, folding her arms grumpily. "It's clearly just a fever of some sort."

"It's not quite a fever..." Janeiro corrected. "I don't know exactly what I can compare it to... and the causes are probably a little abnormal..."

"Abnormal causes?" Ryo asked quietly.

"Tch. What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Riko scoffed. Once more she ended up being harshly nudged by the blonde-haired girl who stood beside her.

"Be nice," Sakura whispered angrily.

"I don't really want to talk about it, to be honest..." Janeiro admitted. "But I am very grateful that you all came to make sure I was alright... Y-You're welcome to stay for a while; the sickness is definitely not contagious..."

"Good," Riko grumbled as she let herself into the apartment. "I'd rather not catch some kind of fatal disease from someone."

"It's not fatal..." Janeiro mumbled, though Riko didn't seem to be paying attention to her.

Yugi stepped in and looked around, seeing that the apartment wasn't the tidiest but wasn't exactly a dump, either. In fact, it was relatively pleasant. Not many possessions could be seen so the flat didn't seem too crowded, and from what was in view it was safe to assume that Janeiro was interested in "Kawaii Culture".

"Aw, you've got yourself a nice apartment, Janeiro!" Sakura complimented.

Janeiro looked shy, though she smiled sweetly. "Thank you," she responded.

"So you're into all that "Kawaii Culture" stuff?" Tea guessed.

"Yeah," Janeiro nodded. "It's not something I'm wildly obsessed with but... I guess I do like cute things more than anything else."

Ryo looked around the room thoughtfully. She hadn't really changed at all; she had always liked cute and sweet things. When she knew Ryo as a child she would always take out a pink bunny plush toy to play with, and on her bed he could see that same bunny. A lot of things from her old house were in this apartment, most likely because she hadn't had time to get any newer possessions since she woke up from her coma.

The thought suddenly made Ryo look at Janeiro. Why was she living by herself in this apartment? Why hadn't she returned to her old home with her parents? They were still there, right?

"...Janeiro," he spoke up. "Why are you living in this place all by yourself? Do your parents even know you're here?"

Janeiro quickly turned and faced Ryo, almost startled by the question before her expression became incredibly solemn. "...Um... no..." she answered sadly. Ryo looked surprised.

"You never told them?" he asked. "But why ever not? They'd be so happy to see you!"

"...When was the last time you saw my parents?" Janeiro queried out of interest. Ryo paused for a moment before he answered.

"...I... I guess it was about a month after I last saw you..." he replied. Janeiro nodded her head.

"Right..." she muttered. She said nothing else regarding the subject after that. Ryo was about to ask again why Janeiro hadn't told her parents, but decided that it was probably not a good idea to question her considering the fact that she seemed so uncomfortable right now.

Janeiro remained solemn for a moment before she smiled sweetly and shyly. "So... would anyone like anything to drink?" she asked.

"Some soda would be nice," Riko grinned.

"Oh! I'll have some water, if that's okay with you," Sakura requested.

"I'll pass, thank you," Yugi said.

"Same here, I'm not that thirsty," Tea added.

"I'll have whatever soda Riko has," Tristan smiled.

"I'll have the same, then!" Joey exclaimed.

Janeiro nodded, turning then to look at Ryo. "Ryo? Would you like a drink?" she asked him.

"Huh?" Ryo reacted, turning to look at her. "Um... I'll be alright, I don't want to trouble you."

"It's no trouble, trust me," Janeiro smiled. "I haven't spent time with friends in such a long time... It would be nice to sit and drink together."

Ryo tilted his head a little before smiling nervously. "In that case I'll have some tea, please," he requested. "I'll help you carry the drinks to the table, too."

"Thank you, I probably will need some help carrying them all..." Janeiro giggled. Ryo chuckled quietly as Janeiro left to prepare the drinks. He then looked at the others.

"All of you should sit at the dining table," he instructed. "I'm going to help her carry the drinks." The white-haired boy walked behind the kitchen counter to help Janeiro sort out the beverages, carrying them to the table in pairs. Everyone thanked Janeiro for making the drinks, and soon the group were sat together around the dining table.

"So then, Janeiro," Tea began, wanting to start a regular conversation. "Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself? You seem like a very interesting person."

Janeiro almost blushed from shyness. "Um..." she reacted. "Well... I..." The blue-haired girl smiled a little. "I like animals."

"To eat or to pet?" Riko chipped in, sipping from her soda.

"Um... I like... protecting them..." Janeiro answered awkwardly.

"That's interesting," Tea smiled. "How about your interests? Do you like doing anything in your spare time?"

Janeiro shrugged her shoulders. "I read, I write... I don't do anything too interesting," she replied.

"Sounds sweet," Tea giggled.

"Yeah," Sakura nodded in agreement as she sipped her water.

"Enough about that," Riko interrupted. "I wanna know more about you and Ryo; he said he knew you in the past."

"Riko!" Sakura hissed, shocked that the other girl was questioning such a thing after the shared theory that Janeiro had been affected by Yami Bakura somehow in the past. Ryo shared the same shock Sakura was feeling, his eyes locking onto Janeiro as he waited to see what her reaction would be.

Janeiro glanced over at Riko, almost shocked by the sudden question. For a moment her mind was in a dark place; she remembered staring into the cold eyes of that evil spirit after it had taken control of her friend's body. However, she was able to shrug off the memories and answer Riko's question without appearing bothered by her past in any way.

"Ryo and I have been friends since we were little," she explained. "We'd always go to each other's houses and play games together."

"Huh. Sounds like you guys used to have a lot of fun," Riko responded, her eyebrow wiggling suggestively as she looked over at Ryo. Ryo didn't quite understand what she was referring to, deciding to ignore her entirely.

Janeiro just smiled sweetly. "We did used to have fun," she confirmed.

"So what happened?" Joey blurted out. Everyone stared at him in horror and Janeiro flinched, almost dropping her glass of water which she had got for herself.

 _What happened?_

 _..._

 _Ryo's House, Three Years Ago_

Janeiro turned off the tap in the bathroom after washing her hands, staring at herself in the mirror. She was thinking about just how unwell Ryo had been looking recently; he was always exhausted and always seemed to have sweat pouring from his forehead. She hoped it wasn't something serious...

At that moment, she heard a thud coming from Ryo's room. It sounded like something had fallen...

For a second Janeiro thought nothing of it, but soon heard Ryo's weak groaning. Her eyes widened; he had collapsed!

The girl didn't dry off her hands thoroughly, darting out of the bathroom and back up to Ryo's bedroom.

"Ryo?!" she called out, barging the door open. Ryo was on the floor, trying to support himself against his desk. His body trembled, and slowly he turned his head to look back at his companion. His eyes were filled with horror - a glint which had never once been seen before in his expression.

"J...Janeiro..." he gasped painfully before grimacing. He grit his teeth and snarled in agony, eyes tightly shutting.

"Ryo!" Janeiro cried, running to his side and taking a hold of him. To her surprise, Ryo shoved her away. His expression was filled with anger, but the look was quickly changed to one of fear.

"I-I made him mad...!" the boy whimpered. "Please, get away...!"

"Made who mad?!" Janeiro demanded to know. "What's happening?!"

"Run!" Ryo yelled, clutching and scratching at his chest. Janeiro did not do as he ordered, too afraid to move. Should she call an ambulance? Should she call the police? What was happening to Ryo right now?

"I-I'll get help!" she decided, standing up quickly. But suddenly her wrist was grasped tightly by the boy on the ground.

"...I don't need help..." Ryo assured calmly.

Only this wasn't Ryo.

His voice was somewhat deeper than Ryo's, and when Janeiro slowly turned to face him, she saw that he seemed to appear... more mature. There was an obvious grin on his face which sent chills down Janeiro's spine the moment she saw it.

When she had gathered the courage to react, Janeiro yanked her hand away from this other Ryo. The being rose up to his feet, staring at her somewhat blankly despite having a grin on his face.

"...You..." Janeiro stuttered. "You're... You're not Ryo...!"

"No," 'Ryo' responded bluntly. "I'm not your dear little Ryo. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to teach this insolent little fool a lesson."

Janeiro didn't know what 'Ryo' was talking about until seeing him reach for a pair of scissors; _he was going to harm himself._

"No!" Janeiro shouted, lunging forwards and grasping the scissors which the young man held. She wrestled his arm in order to take them from him, and after a long struggle she was able to succeed. 'Ryo' grit his teeth and glared hatefully at her.

"Foolish girl..." he muttered, taking a few steps towards her. Janeiro could only stare in fear, still finding it difficult to understand that this person before her was not Ryo. He looked just like him, and a moment a go he _was_ him, but right now... this was a completely different individual.

Janeiro stared at him as he approached, clutching the pair of scissors as if she was prepared to defend herself with them. She examined the approaching male, trying to find the source of this new being's sudden appearance.

Then she saw it. Around his neck Ryo always wore some strange pendant. Not once had Janeiro seen him without it. Right now it was tucked into his T-shirt, but she was able to see the glow from the item through the fabric.

As crazy as it sounded to her, that necklace must have been the source of this new figure's energy.

 _She had to take it off._

The young girl trembled in absolute fear but knew that she had to act soon, so she clenched her fists and encouraged herself to find the confidence to save her friend.

Her violet eyes narrowed angrily and tearfully as they locked onto the approaching target.

"Monster..." she rasped. "LET RYO GO!"

Letting out a wail of anger, Janeiro tackled 'Ryo' and went straight for his pendant.

She remembered pinning him to the ground and reaching for the thread which kept the medallion around his neck, but the moment she tried to remove the ring she was blinded by a golden flash. Following on from that was an agonizing stabbing pain in her chest, and after that there was nothing.

 _"Janeiro, please, wake up!"_

...

 _Janeiro's Apartment, Present Day_

Janeiro snapped out of her memories upon hearing Joey's voice.

"Ey. You in there, Janeiro?" he asked her, waving a hand in front of her face.

Janeiro blinked and shook her head quickly before giving him a reassuring smile. "Sorry, I went blank for a moment," she apologized awkwardly.

"Ah, no worries," Joey responded. "I shouldn't ask ya about personal stuff."

Yugi took a quick look at the time before turning to face the group. "Guys, we need to get going pretty soon," he pointed out. "It's getting late; my grandpa will be worried about me."

"Wow! I didn't even notice how long we'd been here for," Tea said, standing up.

"Aw crud, mom's gonna kill us..." Riko gulped, looking up at Sakura. Sakura stared down at her, an unamused frown on her face.

"Well, thanks for the drinks, Janeiro," Yugi thanked.

"No worries," Janeiro smiled. "Thank you ever so much for coming to check on me; I-I really have been alone all day..."

"Hey, friends always look out for each other," Yugi smiled kindly. "Do you think you'll be well enough to go to school tomorrow?"

"Maybe," Janeiro replied. "I-I'll see..."

"Well, if we don't see you tomorrow, I hope you get well soon," Yugi said sympathetically.

"Thanks..." Janeiro responded quietly.

"I-If you're still unwell, I'll come by and check on you tomorrow," Ryo whispered, not wanting to go with all of his friends since he knew that there were some things Janeiro could only mention to him alone.

Janeiro was silent as she stared at him, but then nodded her head. "You're too kind..." she replied. Her response made Ryo chuckle ever so slightly.

The girl waved farewell to everyone as they left her apartment. She locked her door, and as she went over to her window to close her curtains, she couldn't help but stare at the group until they left her sight completely. Once they were gone, she pulled her curtains together.

But just as she closed them, she felt that pain again. That pain in her chest as if her heart was threatening to burst. Janeiro convulsed violently before falling to the floor.

"Not again..." she hissed to herself. Why was this happening all of a sudden? She had been fine for the past few months, but this pain... This pain felt fatal. Could it be to do with what happened all those years ago? Was this pain Ryo's fault?

As she questioned herself, her thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

 _"You're going to let me use him."_

 **~End of Chapter~**


	4. Chapter IV

**~Chapter IV~**

The school day had just started once again. Ryo stared at Janeiro's empty seat, listening to his friendship group as they talked about the girl.

"Looks like she isn't here again," Sakura noted. "She must still be very unwell."

"She's gonna end up having a lot of work to catch up on," Tristan pointed out.

But as the group spoke, Janeiro ran in through the door just as class was about to officially begin.

"S-Sorry I'm late!" the female apologized as she entered the classroom.

While the teacher briefly exchanged words with her, Ryo and the others stared in shock.

"Man... She looks so... healthy," Joey noticed.

"Too healthy," Tea added.

"She looked so sick yesterday..." Yugi recalled. "It hardly looks like she's been unwell at all..."

Everything they were saying was right. Janeiro looked unusually healthy for someone who had just been bed-bound the day before. Ryo wasn't sure if the others suspected something, but he suspected what the others would probably never think of. He stared at the girl as she took her seat before getting on with his work.

This time, unlike on her first day, Janeiro was looking back at Ryo and the others discreetly from time to time. They all seemed to be focused on their work. The girl looked up at the clock, seemingly waiting for time to pass today.

Class had ended and break time soon commenced. Janeiro was the one to approach the group, a bright smile on her face.

"Hey, guys," she greeted.

"Oh!" Tea exclaimed in surprise, not expecting Janeiro to be so social. "Hello, Janeiro!"

"Janeiro," Ryo reacted, also surprised that the girl was suddenly more forward than usual. "You seem... well."

"Thank you for noticing!" Janeiro chirped. "I've felt so much better since I woke up. Maybe I just needed a good night's sleep."

"Perhaps..." Ryo responded. He hid the fact that he was not at all convinced that this was the case.

"Well, if you're feeling better then I guess we can finally welcome you into our friendship group," Riko confirmed. Janeiro just smiled sweetly at her, the others also smiling at the new student to show that they were happy to have her in the group. Ryo, on the other hand, only stared at her with suspicion and wariness in his eyes.

While the white-haired boy lost himself in his thoughts, Janeiro turned to look at him. She did not appear to be bothered by his cautious gaze, her smile still on her face as she spoke to him and snapped him out of his trance.

"Hey, Ryo..." she said. "I was wondering... Would you like to come over to my place tonight? You and I need some catch-up time..."

The others leaned in closer - mainly Joey, Riko and Tristan - when Janeiro said this. They were all interested to hear what Ryo had to say in response, and they were also thinking about how lucky Ryo seemed to be. After all, he was already close to the new girl. Nobody else really knew her at all.

"Huh? Well, I..." Ryo hesitated, scratching the back of his head. He noticed his group of friends leaning in even closer, so he let out a sigh and gave an answer which would surely not leave any of his companions disappointed. "I don't see why not," he answered with a smile. His friends all grinned mischievously.

Janeiro smiled sweetly once again, her head tilting to the side as she let out a very small giggle. "Great!" she chirped happily. "I can't wait to see you; we can hang out together just like how we used to!"

Ryo smiled both nervously and awkwardly. "Yeah..." he muttered in response. "Like... how we used to..."

"Well... I need to get going," Janeiro said. "I'll see you later, everyone!" The blue-haired girl waved before leaving the group. The others waved goodbye as well, but as soon as she was gone the attention was all on Ryo.

"Wow, Ryo, that girl really likes ya," Tristan grinned, nudging Ryo's arm a few times.

"Yeah. Hope you guys have fun in that weird "Kawaii" apartment of hers," Riko snickered in a mocking tone.

"Eh, be sure to tell us if she asks you out on an official date," Joey added, grinning at the white-haired boy.

Ryo just stood in silence, staring ahead of himself in deep thought. He remembered how Janeiro used to act in the past; she was shy and timid. In fact, she was still shy and timid up until today. Today she was behaving far too confident. Something wasn't quite right here, and he was going to figure out what was going on.

The day continued on as normal, with regular classes and regular conversations going on in the friendship group, but soon enough Ryo was leaving the school building with his briefcase-like school bag firmly grasped in his hand.

Janeiro was stood not far ahead of him, and upon seeing him she smiled happily and waved. Ryo walked over to her, almost deliberately going at a slow pace. He had a small smile on his face, one which masked his growing worry.

"Hi, Ryo," the girl greeted pleasantly.

"Hello," Ryo responded in his usual polite tone. "I'm sorry if I kept you waiting for too long..."

"It's alright!" Janeiro assured. "I've only been waiting for about three minutes."

There was a very brief pause before Janeiro took hold of Ryo's empty hand. "Shall we go?" she asked him. "Or do you want to wander for a little while?"

Ryo really considered going for the second option he was given, but knew that he'd only waste time by doing that. He'd only end up making himself more uncomfortable and cautious, so he instead chose the first choice. "Let's just go to your place; I'm not overly fond of being in public..."

"Okay then, let's go!" Janeiro replied, letting go of Ryo's hand as she started strolling along happily. Ryo walked at her side, his expression visibly nervous for a moment before he smiled and looked at his friend. He couldn't help but think that it was somewhat nice to walk with her like this, even if Janeiro seemed to be a little different. Maybe she had just naturally changed after all...

"Aw, look at them," Sakura said as she watched Janeiro and Ryo leave together. "She's obviously got a crush on him... It's so adorable!"

"Urgh, please, the moment they start dating they will be the most irritating duo ever," Riko scoffed. "They'll be all over each other and will tell people that they're "just friends" if anybody asks about their obvious relationship."

"You really don't have a positive view on anything, do you?" Sakura asked. The black-haired girl smiled proudly and shook her head, silently answering the blonde girl's question.

Meanwhile, Ryo and Janeiro had left the school grounds completely and were now heading for the nearby apartment complex where Janeiro lived. Janeiro had been the most talkative out of the two for the whole walk, Ryo being mostly silent so that he could listen to her words. He hadn't seen her so happy in so long, and now he had heard her talking about little things which almost don't matter in the world instead of talking about her coma and the incident with Ryo's other half.

"Here we are," Janeiro announced once the pair had arrived at the building. "Let's go; we'll take the elevator."

"Alright," Ryo nodded, following Janeiro through the entrance and into the elevator. The two made their way up to Janeiro's floor - floor eight - and from there they found the door which led to her apartment. The blue-haired female opened the door and led Ryo inside; the apartment was still the same as it was when Ryo and the others came to visit.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink?" Janeiro queried, closing the door once Ryo had entered.

"No thank you," Ryo answered as he placed his school bag on the floor by the wall. "I already ate before leaving school."

"Alright," Janeiro responded, wandering over to the window which overlooked the city. Ryo stared at her before deciding to join her, standing by her side.

"You can see so much from here," he acknowledged. Janeiro glanced at him with her eyes before smiling softly.

"Yes. You can," she agreed. "It's a nice view..."

Ryo smiled. Nothing sinister was happening; Janeiro was alright, after all.

But at that very moment, his thoughts had betrayed him. Janeiro barged Ryo down to the ground with her shoulder, straddling his torso before he had the chance to get back up.

"W-What the...?! Janeiro?!" he yelped, frozen with shock. He attempted to wriggled free from underneath his childhood friend, but she was surprisingly strong - _unusually_ strong. Janeiro used one hand to pin both his wrists above his head, further frightening the boy. Ryo thrashed against her grasp, but froze when seeing that she now had dark rimmed eyes. This really wasn't Janeiro. This was someone else.

The Janeiro-imposter grinned, opening up Ryo's school uniform before digging her nails into his chest. In fact, the tips of her fingers had also pierced his flesh. Ryo cried out in agony, still doing his best to fight the other Janeiro but ultimately failing.

"Pardon for the intrusion, but I'm not overly fond in being in a feeble girl's body," Janeiro spoke. Ryo's eyes went wide.

"No..." he gasped in horror. "N-No, I-I won't be possessed again!" The teenager let out a desperate yell as he used all of his strength to force Janeiro away. This time he was able to shove her away from him, almost a little too easily. Janeiro, having been practically thrown by her controller's prey, fell across the ground. She curled up into herself, her back facing Ryo, as she appeared to be normal once again.

Ryo would have asked if she was alright, but was too focused on this all-too-familiar parasitic feeling. He clutched his chest painfully, growling like a defensive wild animal. He remained on all fours, propping himself up with only one arm. His arm was trembling, and soon enough Ryo had completely collapsed on his front. The boy tried to scream, but he couldn't. He tried to cry or call for help, but the only sounds he could make were gargles and splutters. Ryo rolled over onto his black as he continued to make weak choking sounds, clawing at his bleeding chest. His brown eyes stared fearfully at Janeiro, who remained laying on the floor with her back turned to him. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He could feel himself fading away. Something was now devouring his soul, he was sure of it. Something was trying to come out. Ryo tried his best to fight it, but soon enough he let out a loud wail of pain and defeat as his body began to physically change. This transformation felt like one he had experienced in the past. His whole body started to glow, his scream slowly dying down as the light began to fade.

Ryo Bakura was not lying there anymore.

Yami Bakura had taken his place.

Bakura sat himself up calmly, seemingly no longer feeling the pain to his chest. He smirked to himself as he stared at the blood running down his exposed torso before pushing himself up to his feet. The spirit stretched his arms up into the air, glad to finally be back in a familiar body.

"I've been dormant for far too long," he spoke to himself, a grin still on his face. "I hope nobody has forgotten me just yet." Bakura paused and glanced upwards thoughtfully before laughing to himself. "Oh, what does it matter? I'm going to destroy everyone either way!"

The sound of a muffled whimper coming from Janeiro caught Bakura's attention. He turned to face her, staring at her curled up form. For a moment his smile was gone, but it came back quicker than it had vanished.

"Ah. I almost forgot about you," he spoke, walking towards the girl as she lay trembling. "You were a useful host, but I don't need you anymore." He grasped a handful of her hair and yanked her upwards so that she was now facing him, but Bakura's grin became a confused frown when he saw that Janeiro's eyes were still dark around the edges. Her expression was hateful and her hair was now wavy and messy. Before Bakura could address this situation appropriately, Janeiro grabbed hold of his other arm and yanked him forwards so that she could forcefully knee his stomach. Bakura gasped, winded, before being thrown aside by the girl. The white-haired male growled before getting back to his feet, brown eyes locked onto this new being. Purple eyes stared back at him, but Janeiro didn't seem to be planning on making another move just yet; she seemed to be playing defensive, waiting instead for an attack from Bakura.

Bakura was still frowning, but he suddenly smirked and let out a dark chuckle. "Well then, isn't this interesting?" he asked rhetorically. "It looks like you decided to keep a little piece of my soul - perhaps you could still be of use to me."

Janeiro narrowed her eyes, staring angrily at the other being. She clenched her fists and grit her teeth before finally opening her mouth to speak.

"You sound awfully confident in yourself, Bakura," she acknowledged. "It's almost adorable that you think you can use me so easily..."

Bakura laughed. "I think you may be a little confused as to who has more power here," he pointed out. Janeiro shook her head in response.

"No. You are the one who is confused," she corrected.

"Oh, we'll see about that," Bakura replied, walking towards her. "If you're going to be so troublesome I may as well destroy you now and take back that part of my soul."

Janeiro got into a stance, ready to tackle Bakura the moment he was within reach, but suddenly found herself tensing up and grimacing. Bakura stopped walking, staring at the possessed Janeiro as she clutched her head. She stared down at the floor, growling for a moment before falling silent.

After a few seconds, Janeiro looked back up at Bakura, hands still on her head. She looked terrified of him, gasping as her pupils shrunk a little from the fright. Her hair was no longer wavy and there was no dark shadow around her eyes; she was back to normal.

"W...What...?" she stuttered, staring at Bakura in complete fear. "Y-You...! W-Where's... Where's Ryo...?!"

"Tch," Bakura scoffed. "What could you possibly gain from using your host as a shield? If anything it makes my job easier!" With one hand the pale young man grabbed Janeiro firmly by her throat and lifted her up. Janeiro started choking, trying her best to pull Bakura's hand away. It was no use, for she was significantly weaker than the being. She couldn't even let out a strangled sob.

But as she grew weaker, Bakura grimaced. He frowned irritably, instantly realising what was going on as he dropped the girl back onto the floor. She had part of his soul inside of her, therefore making her another part of him which was still connected. If she was badly damaged, then her soul would grow weaker, and her soul was also Bakura's. Thus, any damage dealt to Janeiro or her other half would result in Bakura suffering the same loss in energy.

"How irritating," the spirit murmured to himself before he grinned a little. "Heh. This actually makes the game all the more fun, doesn't it? While I'm accomplishing my task, I must also make sure that you stay out of trouble." The white-haired male knelt down, tilting Janeiro's chin up so that she was staring fearfully up into his brown eyes. "I'd take you with me, but that other half of yours seems awfully disobedient. So I will leave you be - unless you get yourself into trouble, that is."

Bakura rose back to his full height and turned on his heel, pacing towards the apartment's exit. But, before he opened the door to leave, he came to a halt. Without looking back at the girl, he spoke again in a mocking tone - a tone which imitated Ryo's voice.

"Oh, and do let the school know that I won't be around for a while," he squeaked. Bakura then let out a sadistic chuckle before opening the door and making his leave. Janeiro watched as her past friend, who was once again possessed by the same evil spirit as before, left her apartment. At first she seemed tearful. At first she seemed horrified. This was her fault. But she didn't allow herself to cry, because before any tears had the chance to escape from her tear ducts, the mysterious other side of her took control.

"I'll be sure to let the school know that both of us will be absent until further notice," she snarled viciously, a grin then appearing on her face. "When I'm strong enough... I'll reduce the planet's surface to dust!"

...

 _Domino High School, The Next Day_

"What? Ryo and Janeiro are both off sick?" Tea asked, sounding surprised as she sat with her friends at a lunch table.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure they're just skipping school because they've rekindled their past relationship or something," Riko grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"No," Yugi disagreed. "I know what Ryo is like nowadays. He's started to attend school more often since he no longer has his other half to worry about, and no matter how sick he gets he still tries to come to class. It's not like him to just... not come in. He'd at least tell us first, right?"

"That's right," Tea agreed. "He also asks for us to send him the work he missed so that he can catch up. I haven't heard anything from him at all..."

"None of us have, Tea," Yugi reminded. "And that means something's not quite right."

"Well, what do you think it is, Yug?" Joey asked, slouching in his chair. Yugi looked down, a concerned frown on his face.

"I'm not entirely sure," he admitted. "This is how it used to be when Ryo was possessed, but we completely destroyed his other half. Something tells me that if Ryo really is in trouble..." the short teenager looked up at the others with worry, "...then Janeiro might have something to do with it."

 **~End of Chapter~**


	5. Chapter V

**~Chapter V~**

"Really, Yugi? You think that Janeiro might be getting Ryo into trouble?" Tristan queried.

"That can't be right," Tea added. "She seems too gentle!"

Yugi looked at them. "Think about it," he began. "In the past Ryo hurt many of his friends and other people he encountered. A lot of them ended up falling into a coma, which is why he started to isolate himself; he knew it was because of the evil spirit inside of him. Since Ryo only parted with that spirit recently he hasn't had much time to reconcile with his previous friends. Janeiro is the only one to reunite with him so far, but she seems to be acting a little strange; and I could see in Ryo's eyes that even he knew that something wasn't right."

"To be fair, Ryo did look a little nervous around Janeiro when she came back to school..." Sakura muttered in agreement.

"It was hard to tell, considerin' the guy always looks nervous," Joey admitted, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

Yugi shook his head. "Something is definitely not right," he repeated. "We need to visit both of their homes to make sure that they're alright."

"We'll split up into groups!" Riko suggested enthusiastically. "Some of us will go to Ryo's place while the others go to Janeiro's weird apartment!"

"I suppose that will make things faster..." Yugi murmured thoughtfully. "Alright. We'll do that, then we'll meet up outside the city museum."

Joey laughed. "That's your favourite place, ain't it, Yug?" he joked. Yugi actually smiled a little, but knew he had to remain serious.

"Yeah," he responded. "It's the place where we always meet, aside from my grandpa's shop."

"Welp, I ain't got no problem with meeting up there, so let's get this group split into two," Joey decided, stretching his arms a little.

"We'll just go in groups of three," Yugi announced. "Joey, Tristan, the three of us are gonna go and check on Ryo. Tea, you will take Riko and Sakura to check on Janeiro."

"That sounds like a good plan to me," Tea chirped.

"You know, you could've said: "Boys, we'll check on the boy; girls, you check on the girl"," Riko grumbled, folding her arms.

"Ah, quit acting so moody, Riko," Tristan replied to her.

"Better to be moody than insanely happy," Riko stated.

Yugi shook his head but laughed quietly at the pair, though his thoughts were quick to wonder. He hoped Ryo hadn't gotten into too much touble...

...

 _?_

Ryo slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurry. His eyes didn't need to adjust to his surroundings since he could already see the darkness, already growing wary. The shades of black and purple made a cold feeling immediately run down the boy's spine.

Once his vision was clear, Ryo stood himself up and glanced around. This was a place he had seen before in the past.

This was the Shadow Realm.

He was here. Why was he here? Ryo asked himself that question, but as soon as he recalled the events which occurred before he blacked out, he gasped loudly.

Yami Bakura had taken control of his body.

Usually in these situations Ryo would find himself in the soul room within his Millennium Ring, but because he no longer possessed that item it seemed that the only place his spirit could go to was the Shadow Realm.

The white-haired male staggered up to his feet. There was nothing around him besides this dark fog. Not even an eerie silhouette could be seen, though chilling sounds were still heard rumbling in the darkness every so often.

Janeiro had done this. Janeiro had sent him here. For a very brief moment Ryo felt a rush of hatred and anger, but the emotions soon transformed into sorrow and fear as tears welled up in his eyes. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to believe that his friend had betrayed him. A friend he had finally opened up to.

But maybe this wasn't her fault. Not entirely, at the very least. She had changed, and despite the fact that she hadn't even been in the school for a week, Ryo could easily see that.

Right now Ryo decided that he couldn't focus on Janeiro's status. He was worried, of course, but he was more worried about himself. The last time he was here for a long time he was being controlled by his other half, who protected him from the darkness. Now he was just a regular vulnerable human being. A part of his mind assured him that Yami Bakura would not let him be destroyed since they were still technically one, but fear was now the dominant emotion; Ryo had come to the conclusion that Bakura had now taken full control over his body and could now exist without him.

The very thought of Bakura taking over his body completely only made him tear up even more. Was it really over for him? Would he stay here forever or would he just become fodder for the shadows? The young male trembled as he came up with different scenarios before he fell to his knees and did his best to curl up into himself.

He was frightened.

...

Bakura walked through the streets of Domino City, trying to remember where the school was located. Judging by how much time had passed, Yugi Muto should still be in school. While Yugi may no longer possess his Millennium Item, he could still start off by finishing him and his friends discreetly and then find a way to get revenge on the Pharaoh. Somehow he'd cross over to the next world and destroy him once and for all. He was sure he'd find a way.

The evil spirit wondered if Yugi would immediately recognize him. Usually he was able to hide behind the face of his host, but he could no longer do that now that Ryo was somewhere else completely. And even if in the past Yugi saw him in control he still wouldn't realize straight away that it was the Millennium Ring's evil spirit. But Yugi had seen Yami Bakura enough times now to be able to tell the two apart.

But if Bakura was believed to be dead, Yugi might not notice straight away that his friend was once again possessed. So maybe Bakura could actually enter school and pose as his former host for a while.

The very thought made Bakura frown. It seemed like far too much effort. He just wanted to destroy them. Yugi. Joey. Tristan. Tea. He wanted them all gone. The spirit did not care if anyone witnessed the anihilation, nor did he care about the police being called. He was not a regular mortal. The laws of this world did not apply to him. No... they didn't even apply to him even when he _was_ once mortal. The white-haired young man would do whatever was necessary to get what he wanted.

Or so he thought. Already he had almost forgotten about Janeiro and how she was currently possessed by a portion of his soul. She'd most likely try to stop him doing anything he desired, but as far as Bakura was concerned she posed no threat. She was just an annoyance who would be dealt with at some point, but not just yet. Not while she was still interesting.

Ahead of him, Bakura caught sight of the very familiar school building. He stopped walking for a moment so that he could take in the sight before a grin appeared on his face. He started to stroll once again, crossing the street and heading towards Domino High School.

 _..._

"Well, who fancies going to the fancy new sushi bar across the street for lunch?" Tea asked with a smile.

"Sounds good to me," Yugi answered, returning the girl's expression.

"Yeah, I'm starvin'!" Joey chipped in, holding his stomach to exaggerate his statement.

"Me too!" Tristan added, doing the same gesture as Joey.

Tea let out a sigh. "You two are always hungry..." she reminded.

"Hey, it's lunchtime, we're allowed to be hungry now!" Joey protested. Tea, Yugi, Sakura and Riko all chuckled at Joey's words, while Tristan seemed to understand his situation.

"Alright. Let's get going before Joey and Tristan starve to death," Tea then said, smiling softly. Yugi nodded and walked with Tea, the rest of the group following just behind them.

But as the group walked out of the school grounds, they had no idea that Yami Bakura was stood watching them. The male grinned, especially when he saw Yugi. Now was his chance. He could finally finish them all off, and then nobody would ever slow him down ever again. Not even that Janeiro parasite could halt his plans for long. Today would be the day he started to change the world.

However, before the young man could step forward towards his group of targets, he immediately stopped himself. There were two girls with them. Two that he had never seen before. Yet despite the fact that Bakura knew he'd never seen these girls before, he couldn't help but feel as though he had. They looked somewhat familiar.

Narrowing his eyes, Bakura let out a quiet grunt and turned away, marching back through the crowd of people and away from the group of friends. Whenever he recognized someone he knew it wasn't a good thing, so it was best to avoid those girls.

For now.

 _..._

The groans of the shadows which surrounded him had already become normal to Ryo. They sounded like moans of pain in a stormy sea, but Ryo could no longer hear them due to how regular they sounded.

But being used to the sounds meant that he could identify a noise which was peculiar, so when he heard the muffled calls of a young female he immediately uncurled himself. A young woman was calling out as if looking for someone.

Ryo stared in the direction of the voice, but the black and purple fog surrounding him made it hard to make out any human figures. A part of him was terrified, believing that this could be some cruel trick of the shadows, while another part of him was relieved.

And soon enough, through the fog and into his view ran the girl who had been calling.

Janeiro.

Ryo's eyes widened and he felt his pupils shrink a little. Janeiro was the one who did this to him. He knew that the best thing to do would be to run. This girl... she was dangerous. She wasn't the same Janeiro from all those years ago.

"Ryo!" Janeiro exclaimed, sounding relieved but a little frightened as she jogged over to the boy. Ryo flinched and looked ready to run, but something about the sincere tone in Janeiro's voice kept him fixed in place. He stared helplessly at Janeiro as his body refused to cooperate with his mind, his heart starting to race a little faster all of a sudden.

Janeiro knelt down beside him, looking worn out as though she had been running for a long time. "Ryo..." she panted softly. "Ryo, I-I'm so sorry, I... I didn't mean to... I...!"

Ryo stared at her, body trembling. He wasn't sure if he should trust her so easily. Not after what happened. Not after Yami Bakura was once again using him as a vessel.

The blue-haired girl nudged his shoulder, trying to get a response from him. "Ryo, are you even in there?!" she cried. "Please answer me! Say something! Anything!"

Ryo shook his head quickly, realizing that he had been as still as a statue up to this point. He didn't know what to say; this girl had caused all of this. But she seemed to be telling the truth...

"...J...Janeiro..." the white-haired male stuttered. Janeiro's eyes widened before she let out a sigh of pure relief, glad to hear his voice. She wrapped her arms around him and looked as though she was about to burst out sobbing, but was promptly shoved away by the other individual. A look of betrayal and shock was on both of their faces.

"...You did this..." Ryo managed to say, albeit quietly. "You... You were carrying him..."

Tears were in Janeiro's amethyst eyes as she shook her head slowly. "No..." she whimpered. "I... I didn't... I didn't know...!"

"You made him become a part of me again!" Ryo suddenly snapped, his raised voice shocking Janeiro. He panted for a moment, watching as Janeiro could only stare at him in fear, before he repeated himself in a much more solemn tone of voice.

"...You made him... become a part of me..."

He collapsed onto his front and suddenly started to weep helplessly. He didn't want to be mad at Janeiro. In fact, Ryo never enjoyed feeling mad at anybody. He was always someone who wanted to be kind to everybody no matter how bad they were, and if anyone ever did something horrid to him he'd always justify their actions and blame himself. In theory he should have been able to justify what Janeiro had just done to him, but for once he had decided against it. He didn't want to justify it because the one thing he could never forgive was Yami Bakura, the being which embedded itself into his soul when he was just a child. For someone to force that manifestation of darkness back into him was certainly unforgivable.

Janeiro had tears dripping down her cheeks at this point. She understood that if it wasn't for her then Ryo wouldn't be in this situation, and neither would she, but in all honesty she had no control over the situation. Bakura was not an easy force to control. Nobody so far had ever managed to overpower him. Not her, not Ryo and...

...Well, nobody else had ever been under his influence before then, right?

Still, Janeiro's point was still clear. She couldn't stop Bakura from doing what he did. In fact, she had no awareness of him being within her, and once she realised he was there it was already too late.

The two victims of Yami Bakura remained in silence for some time as they both let their emotions out in the form of tears, but Janeiro chose to approach Ryo after she had gathered her thoughts and the words she planned to say. She had to speak softly to Ryo; he was sensitive and internally broken after everything that had happened in his lifetime. Instead of claiming that she was innocent, she had to calm Ryo down and remind him that the two were both trapped. They both had to escape and stop Yami Bakura, along with the new "Bakura" who possessed Janeiro's body.

"...Ryo..." the girl began. "...Y...You have every right to hate me... I-I should've done something... B-But I can't change my mistake... W-What's done is done... The two of us are trapped here... Bakura trapped us both here... He's no doubt going to hurt your friends... He's going to do some horrible things... So... we must find a way out of here... There must be something we can do...!"

Ryo had initially glared up at her when she started talking, but his expression quickly softened. She was right; they couldn't just sit here and cry. They couldn't fight right now. Knowing Yami Bakura it was likely that he would go after Yugi, and Ryo couldn't let that happen. He had to at least try escaping the Shadow Realm. It was most likely impossible, but there was no harm in trying. So he nodded hsi head slowly.

"I..." he spoke. "I understand... I-I don't want to see anymore people get hurt by him... I-I may be able to fight for control... I may be able to get back into my body..." His eyes widened a little as he seemed to realize something. "Wait... What about you...? Why aren't you in your body...?"

Janeiro looked away. "I'll... I'll explain when we start looking for a way out of here," she answered.

Ryo nodded his head. "...Let's get going," he replied, staggering up to his feet. Janeiro took hold of his wrist and started walking; the Shadow Realm was a place of suffering, so it was better to stay as close to Ryo as possible.

 _..._

"Alright, you two. We know how shy Janeiro can be, so let's try not to startle her," Tea said to Sakura and Riko as they headed to the door of Janeiro's apartment. But as soon as they reached the door, Riko bashed her fist violently against the door.

"Hey, Janeiro! You in there or what?!" she shouted.

"I think you ignore what I said..." Tea muttered, not looking at all please with the other girl. Riko seemed to ignore that statement, too.

The black-haired girl stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for the door to open. As she expected, the door didn't open. Riko looked back at Tea and Sakura with an "I told you so" look on her face.

"I knew she wouldn't be here," she said.

Sakura let out an irritated sigh. "You probably scared her, that's why," she responded, walking over to the door. She knocked calmly, speaking in a much more gentle tone of voice. "Janeiro, it's us. Your friends from school. Please let us in, we were worried sick about you and Ryo today..."

Again, there was no response. Sakura seemed quite confused, a look of worry also in her eyes.

"Strange..." she murmured.

"Well, how do we get in?" Riko asked.

"We don't," Sakura replied. "That would make us trespassers."

"If she's not here then she might be at Ryo's place," Tea theorized. "Let's hope that the others find the pair of them there."

"And if they don't?" Riko questioned.

Tea had a worried look on her face. "That's something we have to discuss with the others when we meet up at the museum," she replied.

 _..._

"Hey, Ryo!" Joey called as he knocked on Ryo's door. "You in there, pal? We're worried sick about ya!"

No response came from behind the door, so Joey stopped knocking and looked down at Yugi. "I don't think he's in there, Yug, so what do we do now?"

Yugi looked at the door to Ryo's apartment with a worried expression on his face. He didn't know what to do next if Ryo truly was missing, but there was still hope.

"Maybe Tea's group found him at Janeiro's apartment," he said to both Joey and Tristan.

"And what if they don't find him _or_ Janeiro?" Tristan asked.

Yugi shook his head. "I don't know," he answered. "That's something to think about when we meet up with the others."

"So let's get going, then!" Joey reacted, marching away. "They might already be waitin' for us!"

Yugi nodded his head, catching up to Joey with Tristan at his side.

Unbeknownst to both groups, there was no sign of Ryo or Janeiro, and when they learned of this they would have to think of a plan to find them. They were both obviously in big trouble.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	6. Chapter VI

**~Chapter VI~**

"Wait, you didn't find them, either?!" Joey exclaimed.

"Nope, not a trace," Riko answered.

"So where can they be?!" Tristan snapped, sounding both frustrated and concerned. "They can't have gone far, right?!"

Yugi stared at his own reflection in the glass of one of the exhibition artifacts; some from the Egyptian Exhibition the year before had been left at the museum as permanent features. But Yugi wasn't focusing on those right now; he was focusing on his missing friends. He was trying to think of every possible explanation for their disappearance, but he reached too many different conclusions. Where could they be? Tristan's point was valid; they couldn't have gone too far...

"Who's to say they didn't run away together somewhere?" Riko guessed, shrugging her shoulders.

"Don't be ridiculous, Riko, they wouldn't do such a thing!" Joey shot back. "If ya ask me I still find that Janeiro all too suspicious. She turns up and bam! Ryo vanishes within a few days, and so does she!"

"I still stand by my point," Riko muttered.

Yugi turned around to face the others, pacing back over to them. "Joey's got a good point. We all suspected that Janeiro was behind all of this, and our we've proved our thoughts to be true. We just need to find out where they would be and why..."

"Janeiro might want revenge," Tristan guessed. "I mean, Ryo did leave her in a coma for three years, right?"

"True," Yugi acknowledged, nodding his head thoughtfully as his hand rested on his chin. "But still, I don't think Janeiro is someone who would come up with a twisted revenge plan of any kind..."

A slow clap was heard echoing through the museum, causing the whole group to tense up. The laughter belonging to a female followed the sound, and in entered a girl who looked identical to Janeiro. She had been listening to the group. She had been waiting for them.

"Janeiro?!" Yugi gasped upon seeing her. His eyes then narrowed. "No... You're not Janeiro, are you?! You're someone else!" Yugi made this assumption upon seeing her darkened eyes which held no innocence as opposed to Janeiro's large and naive ones. Her hair was untidy and her outfit had taken a dark turn; her once-blue attire was now dominated by the colour black, mainly by the almost-familiar black trench coat she had decided to wear.

"Janeiro" grinned at Yugi's observation, her hands dropping down to her sides. "Well spotted, Yugi," she praised falsely. "I'm rather surprised that you knew I wasn't that pathetic little girl. You barely even know her, after all."

"I don't know who you are, but you'd better tell us where Ryo and Janeiro are or else we're gonna have some problems!" Tristan shouted, raising his fist to threaten the girl.

Joey ran forward to Tristan's side. "Yeah, what he said!" he agreed.

"Janeiro" laughed. "Your friends are quite alright, I assure you," she answered, a twisted smirk leaving the others uncertain. "They've made themselves at home in the Shadow Realm."

"The Shadow Realm?!" the group exclaimed in unison.

"Why would you send them to the Shadow Realm?!" Tea responded in shock and anger.

"There's nowhere else for Janeiro to go when I'm in control," the Janeiro doppelganger explained. "Ryo's in a similar situation... When he's not in control he no longer has the Millennium Ring to reside within, so he has to also be sent to the Shadow Realm."

"Wait..." Yugi muttered. "When Ryo's not in control...? Are you saying that Ryo's been possessed again?!"

Janeiro's counterpart grinned widely, an almost insane expression on her face. "It's not easy to get rid of me, Yugi!" she claimed. Yugi's eyes widened.

"Wait a second... You're Bakura as well!" he realized. The other Janeiro chuckled.

"Not quite," she corrected. "There's more to me than that; Zorc's spirit doesn't just inhabit anyone, you know."

"Zorc... Of course!" Yugi exclaimed. "Zorc was the one within the ring the entire time, and Yami Bakura _was_ Zorc!"

"Hey, didn't the Pharaoh defeat that creep?" Joey asked.

"Yeah, and with him Bakura should've been gone, too..." Tea added.

"Fools," "Janeiro" mocked. "Yami Bakura's host encountered many people in his youth before he decided to protect the world from his alter ego. The people he met often became his victims; did you really think that not a single one of them would remain untainted by the Millennium Ring's evil spirit?"

The others could only stare at her as she laughed, all appearing tense and cautious. "Janeiro" calmed herself fairly quickly and returned her gaze to the group. And as she calmed herself, Riko spoke up.

"Listen here, lady, you'd better prove that you can put up a fight or else you're just about bark rather than bite!" she snapped.

"Riko, no!" Sakura reacted, horrified, as the evil alter ego of Janeiro started to laugh.

"So be it," she grinned. The glass protecting the exhibitions pieces suddenly shattered. Before the alarms could sound the power to building was cut off, leaving the current room they were in to fall into darkness. Immediately the others panicked, trying to stay close to one another despite the fact that Joey seemed to freak out whenever he made contact with anybody. But this darkness wasn't to last; the power returned to the museum, though the alarms didn't go off as they should have done, which was a relief to everyone in the room. Though the relief soon became horror when the other Janeiro was seen standing just in front off Riko. She punched the black-haired girl in the stomach, winding her and causing her to drop onto her knees.

"Riko!" Sakura called, running over to make sure she was okay. "Janeiro" only laughed at the sight.

"How's that for you, Kiro?!" she taunted.

Riko scowled painfully, glaring up at her. "It's... Riko..." she growled out. "Janeiro" only shrugged, smirking.

"My mistake," she responded sarcastically. "Well, I won't bother you for much longer; I have more important things to do. I'll be seeing you all again very soon." She turned and started to walk away, but as she left she dropped a scripture onto the ground. For a moment Yugi assumed it was one from the now-open glass containers, but the paper seemed new. It must have been written by this other Janeiro - it was probably a note of some sort, but Yugi could see that it had been written in hieroglyphics.

Once "Janeiro" had left the museum, Yugi approached the piece of paper and picked it up.

"I can't read a single word of it," he confirmed after studying the writing.

"Lemme see that!" Joey responded, snatching the paper. He examined it from various angles before throwing it to the ground angrily. "Eh, it doesn't help that she has terrible handwriting!"

Yugi picked the piece of paper up again. "It's no use, none of us can read ancient hieroglyphs," he sighed before smiling a little. "But I know someone who can."

 _..._

 _Cairo, Egypt, Present Day_

Motorcycling was his passion now. He had taken his new, shining bike out for a spin. The young Egyptian male revved his engine, turned corners at full speed and even rode along on his back wheel only. Whenever he found a large enough bump in the ground he'd do a little jump, even better if he could twirl. Usually he'd land these tricks dangerously, wobbling and almost falling off the bike, but he'd still get lucky and continue riding along.

Eventually he brought himself back to civilization, almost knocking over the odd person who would then proceed to yell and curse at him. He'd apologize, but would continue riding his motorcycle nonetheless. His speed slowed down, and soon enough he had pulled up outside a house. Not an amazing house, but a house he lived in. He was working on getting his own place, since at the moment he still lived with his two older siblings.

The young man entered the building, hearing his sister calling out to him from a different room.

"Brother? Is that you?" she called.

"Yes, it's me, don't worry," the male called back, looking for his sibling. She stepped out before him, holding out a mobile phone in her hand.

"You'll never believe who needs our help again," she spoke.

"Huh? Who is it?" her brother responded. He took a hold of the phone and looked at the text, seeing a photograph of some paper along with the message:

 _Hey, Marik. Long time no see. Sorry to bother you, but we need your help. Translate this for us please, and expect to see us in the near future. Something unexpected has happened._

 _-Yugi_

"Yugi Muto?" Marik queried to himself quietly.

His sister, Ishizu, nodded her head. "I may no longer have my Millennium Necklace, but I fear that something terrible is coming our way," she warned. Marik looked up at her before looking back at his phone. It had been some time since he last read ancient hieroglyphs, but he had to do it for Yugi. So he decided that it was best if he worked on reading it right away, hoping to reply to Yugi shortly.

 _..._

Having exited the museum after explaining to local authorities what had happened, the group disbanded. Night had fallen, although in Egypt it was still day time. Yugi had returned to the Game Shop and was currently in his room waiting for a response from Marik. He knew that this wouldn't be the last time he contacted him, for he suspected that sooner or later he would be travelling to Egypt to uncover the full story. Right now everything was vague and he had no idea what was going on.

And much to his luck, Marik responded to his message. The message was long since it included both Marik's reply to Yugi's words along with the translation of the text left by "Janeiro".

 _Hi Yugi! Thought you had forgotten about me :P Anyway it took a while but I managed to translate the scripture you sent me (though pic quality could've been better). Who wrote it? It seems really cryptic and I don't actually understand what it means, so maybe you should come out here some time :/ Here's what it says:_

 _"There was once a queen who fell in love with a king, but they could not be together. They were both bad people. They did not deserve their royal titles. To save each other, they stayed apart. The queen was killed, and a few years later the king was also killed. Both the king and the queen were forgotten until they were reunited thousands of years later. Now bad memories will start to return, and the future will twist to reflect the tragedies of the past."_

"A king and a queen...?" Yugi muttered to himself. None of this seemed at all relevant, so he switched on his computer to do some research on various leaders of Ancient Egypt. There were so many, but after reading a few stories of lesser-known rulers he soon decided to stop. The two figures mentioned in this cryptic story had been forgotten, and thus they couldn't have had any known information about them on the Internet.

It was up to Yugi to find out for himself who these two were, and why "Janeiro" would leave a short story to him like that.

For a very brief moment he remembered Atem. Atem had been forgotten, so perhaps the "king" was Yugi himself and the "queen" was...

Sakura?

Riko?

Janeiro?

Those were the three girls he had started talking to recently, and ever since then bad things started happening. "Bad memories" did indeed return, with the resurrection of Zorc and Yami Bakura along with the traumatizing return of Janeiro for Ryo.

But Yugi couldn't be too sure. He had to show this message to the others tomorrow at school. Maybe they would interpret it differently.

 _..._

"There's... um... nothing but darkness, Janeiro..." Ryo muttered after the pair had walked for some time.

"There's got to be something here..." Janeiro responded. "Even if it's not a way out, there surely must be something..."

Ryo looked ahead, and suddenly to his surprise and joy he saw a light. "Wait, I can see something up ahead!" he gasped happily, pulling his hand out of Janeiro's grasp as he ran forwards.

"Hey, wait for me!" Janeiro shouted as loudly as she could, running after her childhood friend. The light grew closer, and soon enough they had found themselves in the middle of the desert. The pair slowed down, taking in their new surrounding.

"Where are we...?" Ryo questioned. "Are we still in the Shadow Realm...?"

"We must be..." Janeiro responded. "So... this must be a mind trick."

"But why would we both see Egypt, of all places...?" Ryo asked. He already knew why he might be seeing such a setting due to his past, but Janeiro had no connection to the place.

Then again, his alter ego used her as a puppet, so perhaps that explained it.

"Ryo, look over there!" Janeiro pointed. "I can see a city of some kind!"

Ryo squinted his eyes so that he could see better, but saw that Janeiro was right. There was indeed a city.

"You're right," he responded. "A big city, too. Though I can't help but feel that it looks somewhat familiar to me..."

"Familiar...?" Janeiro queried. "But it looks so... ancient..."

"Let's head towards it," Ryo suggested. "I suppose there is no turning back now..."

Janeiro nodded in agreement and once again took a hold of Ryo's wrist. The two started to walk, but the closer they got to the city, the more their vision blurred. At first neither of them complained, but Ryo soon decided to speak up.

"I... I think the heat might be getting to me..." he admitted. "Everything is beginning to blur..."

"Same for you, too...?" Janeiro asked. "I-I can barely see a thing..."

Ryo dropped to his knees, causing Janeiro to stop walking and stare down at him with worry.

"W-We have to keep going..." she encouraged, but as she said that she too dropped to her knees.

"I don't feel very well..." was what Ryo last said before blacking out. Janeiro was quick to follow.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	7. Chapter VII

**~Chapter VII~**

 _?_

Darkness. Silence.

Janeiro did not know how long she had been unconscious for, but now she was starting to awaken. Muffled hearing and blurred sight gradually healed, and soon enough the girl found herself staring up at a ceiling. For a moment she had no idea where she was, but as she sat herself up she realised that she was back in her apartment. She looked over at her clock and saw that it was now past one in the morning.

The girl arose to her feet. Had she just woken up from a long and strange dream? That was what she told herself initially, but she noticed that she was wearing a black coat. Black was not her style, and this coat was not at all familiar to her.

She remembered writing in her diary when everything started to change for her. Something had taken over her mind. And before she knew it, she was in a realm of fear and darkness. She had been left there all alone and confused before she finally encountered Ryo. The pair of them wanted to escape somehow, and while searching for a way out they had found themselves in a desert. After that... she woke up here.

Her eyes widened. Was Ryo still in the Shadow Realm? Was he alright? Was he suffering? The student began to panic, so she scrambled around to find her mobile phone. After a few moments of fumbling, she found it in her school bag and scrolled through her recent contacts. Luckily she had added Ryo after spending time with him the other day, so immediately she clicked his name and waited.

Time seemed to slow down for a moment. She didn't know how long she had been waiting for, but much to her surprise and relief...

Her call was answered.

"Hello?" was the greeting Janeiro received. A relieved smile formed on her face as she recognized the shy and polite tone belonging to her friend.

"Oh, thank goodness..." she reacted. "Ryo, it's me: Janeiro..."

Janeiro's response was interrupted before she could even begin to say more. She heard a low, dark chuckle coming from her phone's speaker. This new voice was not like Ryo's, yet somehow it sounded similar in a strange way. Janeiro seemed confused, but her eyes then widened. She knew exactly who she was talking to right now.

"Did you really think that you were actually speaking to that pathetic vessel of mine?" Yami Bakura asked in a mocking tone of voice. "You truly are just a naive little girl!"

Janeiro stood frozen for a moment before attempting to gather some courage. "Bakura..." she muttered. "Where's Ryo?! And when will you let him go?!"

"I'll let him go when I no longer need him," Bakura answered. "I thought I made that very clear previously. Now then, it is actually rather convenient that you called. I need you to do me a favour and travel to Egypt; your friends will also be there, including Ryo."

A small gasp left Janeiro's mouth. "Ryo...?" she repeated softly.

"Yes," Bakura confirmed. "I shall be letting him go for a short while so you two can have all the fun you want."

For a moment Janeiro felt overjoyed, but she knew that Bakura was a twisted individual. This was no act of kindness. There was something behind this.

"Oh, and if you're curious as to why I'm doing this, I have nothing to hide from you," Bakura continued. "Your other half seems to be planning something which is leading Yugi Muto to Egypt. Quite honestly I don't know what she's up to, but you can trust me when I say that I plan to find out."

Janeiro frowned a little, nervousness still in her expression. "What if I don't go to Egypt...?" she asked slowly. "It sounds as if you're planning to send Ryo and I back to the Shadow Realm the moment we meet up..."

"Ha, I expected you to be this paranoid," Bakura taunted. "Would it honestly disappoint you if I tell you that your theory is incorrect?"

"No..." Janeiro answered quietly. "But... I'm confused..."

"So you should be," Bakura assured. "In fact I myself am a little uncertain about this whole situation. Originally I was laying dormant within your body so that I could return to my _favourite_ host and have my revenge on Yugi, but there was a slight mishap. A part of my soul is still inside you, and it's rather active. Normally when I leave portions of my soul around they don't do anything until I command them to, but with you it's completely different. It's almost as though something has been awakened inside of you, heh heh!"

"Awakened...?" Janeiro questioned, her eyes widening. "W-What do you mean by that...?"

"Like I said, I'm uncertain," Bakura replied. Janeiro could practically hear him grinning. "But if I was to make an educated guess, I'd say that it's not just a rogue piece of my soul controlling you. There may very well be something else behind all of these events, and I plan to find out what it is from your alter ego. So be a good girl and get the next available flight to Egypt. Don't disappoint me, Janeiro."

Without warning, Bakura put an end to the call. Janeiro stared at her phone as if she'd never been hung up on before, but she quickly focused on sorting out her thoughts.

Bakura and Janeiro's other personality could communicate in the Shadow Realm together quite easily and the bodies of their hosts could be anywhere. Whether Janeiro went to Egypt or not shouldn't matter to Bakura, so he must have been up to something. Obviously he was making Ryo go to Egypt because he wanted to be there himself, most likely to find Yugi and his friends.

But Bakura had mentioned the fact that Yugi's group were going at some point because they were being lured by the darker side of Janeiro. He knew that because the other Janeiro was mostly his soul, but then he also pointed out that she may also have been something else. He wanted to know exactly what she was and find out what she was planning to do.

Janeiro came to the conclusion that Bakura was going to go after Yugi after learning a thing or two from the darker Janeiro, and her own whereabouts would not affect his actions. She figured that at least if she was in Egypt she'd be able to find Ryo and maybe even find Yugi's group as well once they arrived, and if Bakura chose to act then she could at least make an attempt to stop him. Or she could even warn Ryo and the others, since she may very well have been the only person who knew this much. Either way she could at least do something if she went to Egypt, so she opened up her laptop and began to look for the next flight she could make which went to Egypt.

 _..._

 _Domino City Mall, Present Day_

While Joey and Tristan viciously devoured their hotdogs and Riko casually licked her ice-cream, Yugi spoke with Tea about the current situation.

"So did Marik get back to you after you sent him the text?" Tea asked.

"Yeah," Yugi answered. "It was some sort of riddle about a king and a queen."

"King and queen?" Tea repeated. "That's strange. Did you figure out what it might be referring to?"

"Well, I thought maybe it had something to do with Atem..." Yugi admitted, his voice going quiet as he said that statement. For a moment he looked lost and solemn, but quickly snapped himself out of it when he noticed that Tea was about to rest her hand on his shoulder to see if he was okay; he didn't want to be comforted right now.

"The text talked about a king and a queen who could not be together because they were both bad people, and eventually they were both killed," he continued. "Apparently they were forgotten until they were reunited thousands of years later, but the future will start to reflect their past tragedies."

"What does that even mean...?" Tea questioned, mainly to herself.

"I'm not sure," Yugi replied honestly. "The only forgotten king I know of is Atem..."

"But Atem was not a bad person," Tea reminded. "He died protecting his people and was remembered as "The Nameless Pharaoh"; he wasn't truly forgotten at all."

Yugi looked at her, understanding her point. "You're right..." he agreed. "Besides, I don't recall Atem ever encountering a queen..."

Tea tapped her chin, thinking hard. "The writing was left by Janeiro..." she recalled.

"You mean Janeiro under Yami Bakura's control," Yugi corrected.

"Didn't she say it was something more than that?" Tea remembered.

"Oh yeah, you're right..." Yugi agreed, having been reminded of Janeiro's very words.

 _"Not quite. There's more to me than that; Zorc's spirit doesn't just inhabit anyone, you know."_

"So... if the other Janeiro knows the story, then that must mean she's part of it," Yugi concluded, looking Tea in the eye. "She must be the queen!"

"But what was she the queen of?" Tea queried. "And who was the king?"

"Perhaps it has something to do with Ryo..." Yugi guessed. "Or maybe it's to do with Yami Bakura..."

"Yami Bakura is the embodiment of Zorc," Tea reminded. "Zorc was a monster, remember?"

"But he could still be considered a king," Yugi added. "Maybe the riddle isn't referring to actual love and death, but instead it's referring to the rise and fall of Zorc's power."

"That could be right," Tea nodded. "And now that Zorc has returned to his old host's body he is ready to destroy the planet and make everyone suffer."

"We have to stop Bakura and Janeiro," Yugi decided. "They both play a part in this. They must be stopped before it's too late!"

Joey, Tristan, Riko and Sakura all turned to look at Yugi, the first three seeming confused as they briefly stopped eating their food.

"Eh, who's stopping who now?" Joey asked.

"We're going to stop Bakura and Janeiro from destroying the world!" Tea snapped at Joey.

"And how are we supposed to do that when we don't know where either of them are?" Joey pressed. Tea didn't seem to have an answer, but thankfully Yugi did.

"We may not know where they are now, but I'm pretty sure I know where they're heading," he stated.

 _..._

 _Cairo, Egypt, Present Day_

Ryo began to awaken at last; he had been sleeping across the airport waiting lounge chairs for hours. As he sat himself up her rubbed his eyes, stretched out his arms and yawned. Upon finally realizing where he was, he reacted with surprise and confusion. However, he realized that there was a reason for him being here. Unlike Janeiro, he was used to waking up in strange places; Yami Bakura would often leave him here and there without explanation, but whatever happened Ryo would have to improvise. So he looked outside of the large airport windows to see where he was, gasping slightly when he recognized the landscape.

As a child Ryo had lived in Egypt for quite some time, and it was here where he first encountered the Millennium Ring. He didn't want to remember that night, though, so pushed the memory away when it tried to resurface. Instead he remembered everything else from his childhood in Egypt, also reminding himself of his last visit to this place. It was when Pharaoh Atem finally left Yugi to enter the afterlife, and it was also when he was freed from Yami Bakura's control.

At least, for a little while.

The white-haired male got up onto his feet and decided to leave the airport. He hadn't brought any luggage; he knew that because his alter ego wasn't so keen on waiting to collect bags after long flights, instead wanting to just leave the airport as soon as possible. He also preferred not to spend too much time in security, which explained the small rucksack Ryo had with him. As for his clothing, it was still just the usual blue and white T-shirt and beige trousers along with unsuspicious trainers. Security must have been quick to get through.

Ryo couldn't help but feel a little awkward as he made his leave. He looked like such a tourist, and travelling alone in Egypt probably wasn't the safest thing to do, especially considering the fact that he didn't have any plans; he had to find a place to stay which didn't cost too much.

So Ryo flagged down a taxi and asked - in Egyptian Arabic - to be dropped off at the museum; if it was open he'd go in and look around, and if it was closed he'd walk to find some nearby hotels to stay in.

The drive to the museum didn't seem long at all, which almost surprised Ryo. He blamed the quick passage of time on his thoughts, since he had been thinking deeply for the whole journey. The student politely thanked the taxi driver and paid him with some cash from his wallet. Ryo couldn't help but think that Yami Bakura planned too well for a situation like this, having already converted a large sum of yen into Egyptian pounds. It almost frightened Ryo since he often wandered into Bakura's set-ups without realizing it, but at the same time he was numb to such treatment.

It didn't really surprise Ryo when he saw that the museum was open, but it did make him feel relieved since he didn't have to walk around in the blazing heat. He made his way inside and paid for entry, having a short conversation with the staff about his interest in Egyptian history and his childhood in Egypt before he made his way inside and quietly looked around. He had been here on more than one occasion as a child since his father also loved Egyptian history, but despite how interested he was he was too young to understand a lot of the stories behind the artifacts. Now that he was older he could finally appreciate everything within this museum, and also he'd get to see some of the newer features.

Unlike most other people at the museum, Ryo wasn't too interested in the famous and popular discoveries. He had seen them all before and knew all about them, so he didn't need to waste his time looking at them again. Instead he went to the quieter exhibits, reading the plaques which told various interesting stories about the various artifacts, until he eventually found himself in a new exhibition area. There were quite a few people there, but since everything was new Ryo decided to take a look. At first he expected to see more of the usual stuff; tablets, pots et cetra. But what he saw in this room was completely different to the usual ancient items.

His brown eyes were immediately drawn to a golden object. It looked like some kind of wing, but upon further examination Ryo could see that it resembled a Duel Disk.

 _'A DiaDhank,'_ he thought. He didn't know why he suddenly knew the name of the object, but he trusted what his mind said it was. He knew what it was for a reason.

As he stared at the DiaDhank in awe, he felt a firm hand suddenly clasp his shoulder. He gasped quickly and turned around, only to face a familiar-looking man. Initially he didn't know why he was familiar, but he quickly remembered the Battle City tournament which took place some time ago.

"Odion...!" he reacted, sounding surprised to see him.

"Bakura," Odion replied. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I-It's just Ryo..." Ryo corrected quietly.

"What brings you to Egypt?" Odion questioned, almost as if he had ignored Ryo's correction.

"U-Um..." Ryo stuttered. "Well... I woke up in Cairo airport, you see, and um... I figured that this would be the best place to go to pass some time."

Odion raised an eyebrow. "You do not know why you came to Egypt?" he pressed. Ryo let out a sigh.

"No..." he admitted, keeping his voice down so that nobody listened in on the conversation. "But... You remember my other self, don't you...?"

"The spirit of the ring?" Odion recalled.

"Yes," Ryo nodded. "H-He's back..."

Odion frowned slightly. "So we suspected," he responded. Ryo looked like he was about to say something, but then cut himself off to react in a different way.

"Wait... You suspected it?" he asked. "But... how...?"

"Master Marik has been in contact with Yugi Muto," Odion explained. "He decoded a riddle about a king and a queen. Yugi confirmed that it was left by one of his friends who had been possessed by a part of Zorc's soul. He did not mention anything about you being possessed again, but you were the host chosen by Zorc in the first place. Ishizu came to the conclusion that you were also possessed."

Ryo looked down at his feet, a solemn expression on his face. "...You're not wrong..." he revealed. "He's in my body again... and he's in Janeiro's..."

"Janeiro is the friend who left the note, correct?" Odion queried.

"...Yes..." Ryo answered.

Odion looked down for a moment as he processed the information before he looked at Ryo once again. "You should keep your eye out for her," he stated. "If the evil spirit sent you here then no doubt your friend was sent here, as well."

The man turned on his heel to leave, but was stopped by Ryo. "Odion," the white-haired boy spoke up. Odion looked back at him and listened to what he had to say.

"...What do you think is going on?" he asked. Odion stared at him blankly before looking away.

"I do not know," he admitted. "Nobody does." And with that he left the room. Ryo stared at him as he left, silently questioning what had brought him here in the first place, but he soon returned his focus to the DiaDhank. It was so familiar to him...

 _..._

 _The Shadow Realm_

Dark Janeiro stood with a hateful expression on her face, confined by the shadows. Her purple, dark-rimmed eyes were locked onto Bakura, who stood with his arms folded. He was grinning slightly at her, feeling somewhat smug that he was dominant in this situation.

"What do you want from me, Bakura?" the other Janeiro asked through clenched teeth.

"Everything," Bakura answered. "I want to know who you _really_ are."

Dark Janeiro's expression was still hateful and tense, but she shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"The name I call myself is not important to you," she declared. "But if you're so desperate to know, then it's Rena."

Bakura's grin became a disappointed frown as he raised an eyebrow. "Rena?" he repeated.

Rena smirked since she saw that Bakura was no longer satisfied. "Yes," she replied. "The letters are in two of my names."

Her statement left Bakura looking even more baffled as he bared his teeth slightly in frustration.

"R-E-N-A are letters from two of your names?" he attempted to clarify. Rena nodded her head. Bakura seemed a little frustrated at her cryptic statement, but he suddenly grinned once again.

"The more information the better," he stated. "Do tell me more."

"What if I refuse?" Rena asked him. Bakura's grin seemed to widen.

"Then that will be your last mistake," he answered. Rena's expression was dark for a moment, but she quickly smirked again.

"Very well," she responded as her smirk became a grin. "What do you know about the red-cloaked thief?"

 **~End of Chapter~**


	8. Chapter VIII

**~Chapter VIII~**

 _The Shadow Realm_

Bakura seemed to grin even more than he already was doing. "The red-cloaked thief?" he echoed. "I'm sure there are many thieves with red cloaks, but you must be referring to the one from Ancient Egypt. The pawn in my game." The white-haired male let out a low chuckle. "Would it sound too sentimental if I said he was like a son to me during those ancient times?"

"You can say what you like," Rena smirked. "It doesn't matter to me. All you need to know is that he plays a part in my story; call him the pawn of _my_ game."

"Tch, what significance could he have to either of us?" Bakura queried. "He was just a fool who I took advantage of." Rena rolled her eyes.

"Like I don't know that," she grumbled before smirking again. "But as foolish as you think he was, he plays a part in bringing me into existence. Of course, there were other people involved, but it's up to you or our hosts to find out that information."

"I'm a rather impatient fellow, you know," Bakura clarified. "You might want to tell me now; I wouldn't want to watch the shadows devour you so early." Rena only grinned even more.

"You can't make me suffer, Bakura," she reminded. "We are still one, remember?"

"Yes, but I'm willing to deal damage to you even if it costs me my own strength," Bakura countered. "If I become too weak I can just return to my vessel's body and control him until I fulfill my goal. You, on the other hand, are trapped here; this is my domain, after all!"

Rena chuckled lowly. "That's where you're wrong," she corrected. And as she said that, the shadows holding her began to dissolve, instead being replaced by shadow snakes which slithered towards Bakura. Bakura narrowed his eyes and watched them cautiously before turning his attention back to Rena. A smug grin was upon the girl's face.

"I have no intention on harming you just yet, Bakura," she assured. "In fact, I may not harm you at all if you listen to the deal I'm about to offer you."

 _Cairo, Egypt, Present Day_

Ryo was now sitting outside the museum in the shade, reading the guidebook he had bought. He was reading the page about the DiaDhank when he heard his voice being called.

"Ryo!"

The boy looked up from his guidebook, and almost to his horror he saw Janeiro waving at him with a smile on her face. Odion was right; she had also been forced to come to Egypt. This couldn't be good...

The blue-haired girl ran up to him and fell to his side, hugging him tightly, almost as if she had not seen him in years.

"Ryo, it really is you, isn't it?" she asked happily. "I'm so relieved!"

Ryo smiled shyly before patting her shoulder, silently encouraging her to let go of him. "I'm quite alright, Janeiro," he assured before his smile faded away. "We both are, but I can't help seeing this as something rather suspicious..."

Janeiro pulled the same concerned expression. "I thought the same thing..." she admitted. Ryo stared at her strangely, tilting his head to the side.

"Janeiro," he began. "What made you come to Egypt? Was it... the other you?" Janeiro shook her head.

"No," she replied, looking down as she rubbed her arm nervously. "I... I called you yesterday but Bakura answered..."

Ryo gasped quickly. "He told you to come here?!" he repeated, standing up swiftly. "Janeiro... He cannot be trusted! He must have something planned!"

"It's okay...!" Janeiro assured, standing up with him and putting her hands on his shoulders to calm him down. "I know he has something planned, but he would carry that plan out with or without me here... The more people we have to stop him, the better..."

"He could take control at any moment..." Ryo murmured, eyes wide in horror as he shakily held his head. "I don't want to hurt anyone else..."

"Ryo, snap out of it!" Janeiro cried. "You're not going to hurt anyone!"

Ryo only stared through her, his eyes still wide as he trembled. He wasn't strong enough to suppress Yami Bakura.

All of the friends he hurt...

His father...

Janeiro...

"I... can't..." he whimpered.

"Bakura?" came a voice, which caught the attention of the two foreigners. They both turned and saw Marik Ishtar approaching them, waving kindly with a smile on his face.

"It is you, after all!" he greeted. "The real you, that is."

"Huh...?" Ryo reacted nervously. He didn't know Marik too well, but he still knew him. He was actually rather happy to see him again, while Janeiro just looked completely confused.

"Odion said he saw you in his exhibition," Marik stated. "I wanted to see you again, Bakura; it's been so long!"

"P-Please, just call me Ryo..." Ryo reacted awkwardly.

"My apologies," Marik apologized with a kind smile. He looked over at Janeiro almost as if he hadn't noticed her there before. At first he appeared confused, but he was quick to smile and extend his hand. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Marik Ishtar."

"U-Um... I-I'm Janeiro..." Janeiro stuttered, shaking Marik's hand nervously. But Marik was quick to turn back to Ryo, his expression suddenly looking concerned and serious.

"It's actually great that you're here, Ba- Ryo," he admitted, glancing at Janeiro. "You too, Janeiro."

"Huh? W-What makes you say that...?" Janeiro asked, looking worried. Already she was feeling apprehensive about coming here; did Bakura know that something like this would happen?

"Well, after the Pharaoh passed on, I started a new job in archaeology," Marik explained. "Being a tomb-keeper made me extremely knowledgeable on ancient tombs, which is why I wanted to continue working with them. Recently I found a tomb buried far out in the desert with barely anything surrounding it; a tomb of a queen."

"Queen?" Ryo asked.

"Yes," Marik replied. "And it was no ordinary royal tomb, either. The stories it told on the walls were unlike any other I have heard before." The Egyptian male narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "I think it's best if you come with me to see what I am talking about; I think I have found somebody Yugi was looking for."

"Yugi was looking for someone?" Ryo asked. "I-I'm rather confused, Marik..."

"I'll explain everything on the way," Marik replied. "Come."

The young man started to walk. Ryo and Janeiro both glanced at each other before deciding to follow him.

 _..._

 _The Shadow Realm_

Bakura raised his eyebrows, a blank glower on his face. "A deal?" he asked his female foe. Rena nodded her head.

"You and I have different goals," she confirmed. "You want your revenge, and after that you want to shroud this world in nothing but darkness."

"Correct," Bakura agreed blankly.

"I will help you," Rena offered. "But before that I want you to help me with _my_ goal."

"And what is your goal...?" Bakura questioned carefully. Rena grinned widely.

"I can give you an independent body," Rena began. "If you let me temporarily fuse with you, you will be free from your host for a short period of time. You can wander freely."

Bakura seemed intrigued. "Go on," he urged. Rena seemed pleased with how hooked Bakura was on her offer already.

"I want you, while you are independent, to find two artifacts for me," she continued. "The Sceptre of Tainted Souls and the Scythe of Fallen Goddesses."

Both artifacts sounded somewhat familiar to Bakura, but he didn't seem to remember encountering them at any point. He frowned irritably. "How am I supposed to find them?" he queried.

"I'll do what I can to guide you," Rena assured. "Once those items are found I will leave you be, and you can go ahead and do as you please with the world."

Bakura narrowed his eyes. "Why do you want those two specific artifacts?" he interrogated suspiciously. Rena chuckled softly and briefly.

"Let's just say that they are worthless to me now but need to be destroyed," she answered. "Now then, do we have a deal?"

 _..._

 _Egypt, Present Day_

"So you're an archaeologist now, Marik?" Ryo asked as the trio sat in the Ishtar four-by-four with Marik driving towards their destination.

"Yes," Marik nodded with a smile. "And Odion works at the museum. It's easy for us to collaborate, too."

"How interesting," Ryo smiled, his appearance thoughtful. He then looked somewhat concerned. "So then... didn't you say something earlier about Yugi wanting to know about... a queen?"

Marik nodded his head. "He sent me a scripture left behind by your friend," he answered. "It had been written in hieroglyphics. The story it told was one about a king and queen, both who were considered to be bad people. They were in love, but their love was frowned upon. So they kept away from each other, but they both met tragic ends. Originally I thought it was a metaphor of some sort, but after reflecting on this tomb I discovered I began to see some similarities. And now that I think about it... the paintings are really more important for you two."

Ryo blinked in confusion. "What do you mean by that?" he pressed.

"I'll show you when we get there," Marik replied.

Janeiro was just sitting quietly in the back seat of the vehicle as the two spoke, not wanting to disrupt the conversation as she stared out of the window. In all honesty she was just too shy to speak in a conversation with someone she had only just met. Instead she decided to think about what could possibly be in that tomb...

Within about ten minutes, the three were out in the desert. Janeiro awoke from her thoughts and climbed out of the car once Marik and Ryo were also out.

"Here we are," Marik introduced. Ahead there was a ruined stone entrance which had clearly been recently opened by the Egyptian archaeologist. It was also located in a ditch which Marik had clearly made by digging restlessly. On the outside, this tomb looked like nothing; it was no surprise to Janeiro that this tomb had been lost over time, considering that it was just a small stone entrance which seemed to vanish into the sand.

"Is that the entrance to the tomb?" Ryo queried just to make sure.

"Yes," Marik answered. "Follow me, but be careful; I'm not sure how stable this tomb is, and I'm still not sure if it's completely trap-free."

With some hesitation, Ryo followed the other male. Janeiro followed him with the same level of caution as the group entered the dark and mysterious tomb.

When the environment became too dark, Marik took out a flashlight and switched it on; a flashlight was more efficient than a flaming torch.

"At least you came prepared," Ryo praised.

"It's my job to enter dark places," Marik reminded him. "I'm always prepared."

Janeiro gazed at the walls, which were blank towards the entrance of the tomb. But as the three wandered further, paintings and carvings began to emerge. At first they were just the typical stories one would expect to find in any Ancient Egyptian structure, but Marik soon came to a sudden halt. His flashlight was pointing in the direction of a large wall (since the three had entered a much larger room). Janeiro was actually surprised at just how large this tomb was. Ryo felt the same level of surprise; on the outside the tomb was barely visible, but obviously it had been buried over time. Either that or it was underground in the first place.

"This is where the story of the queen begins," Marik announced. Ryo and Janeiro admired the first painting - a large figure of a woman in a typical Ancient Egyptian gown, facing sideways as all Egyptian images did. Her posture was confident and proud, one arm held out in front of her like with most Egyptian paintings. But as the two modern-day admirers finally looked up at her head they both felt their hearts jolt, Janeiro's level of surprise being significantly higher than Ryo's.

The woman's hair was long and light blue, not at all different to Janeiro's hair. Despite the face of the woman being fairly generic, her purple eyes were enough to add to Janeiro's growing fear. While the woman had tanned skin, she was pretty much identical to Janeiro.

"...Janeiro..." Ryo stuttered quietly, looking over at his childhood friend. He could see the shock and terror in her eyes even in the dim light.

"That's the queen," Marik explained in an attempt to ease the tense atmosphere. "Her name was Nefertari."

"Was she a Pharaoh?" Ryo asked, turning around to face Marik. He expected the answer to be obvious, but Marik shook his head.

"She was not an official ruler," he revealed. "From what I can understand from these paintings and carvings, she ruled a village outside of the Capital city. Her title was "Queen of Outcasts", so my best guess is that her village was for the people the Pharaoh at the time didn't want in his society."

"So she welcomed people into her village if they were considered to be strange?" Ryo recapped.

"Possibly," Marik answered as he slowly shone his torch along the wall, allowing the dazed Janeiro to follow the light and the story. "She was powerful and her followers looked up to her. But her relationship with Pharaoh Aknamkanon was not ideal. There was a lot of tension between them, it seemed, and eventually her unusual acts got her arrested. She was taken into the Royal Palace where we can only assume was her place of execution."

As Marik stopped his torch on the image of Nefertari standing within the palace, Ryo was the one to feel the shock next. Outside of the palace, atop what appeared to be columns, stood a man with long white hair and a typical Egyptian shenti. A black one. In his hand was a golden bracelet shaped like a snake, and on his face was a distinctive scar.

For a moment Ryo almost forgot how to breathe. All he could do was stare at the image of someone he knew very little about while also knowing so much. That was his ancestor: the Thief King.

"...It's... It's him..." he wavered, reaching up to touch the wall, his hand just beside the image of his past-self. The man responsible for so much trouble.

"Bakura," Marik added. "When I saw that painting I was immediately reminded of your other half, Ryo."

"This painting..." Ryo whispered to himself, not focusing on Marik's words. "It's... It's style is slightly different. The paints are different. I... I think it was added to this wall after everything else was already completed."

Marik tilted his head slightly. "Are you sure?" he queried.

"I'm certain," Ryo assured, eyes still fixed onto the painting. He frowned slightly. "I bet this was his way of marking that he had entered a tomb, almost like... a graffiti tag. He's clearly holding treasure of some sort, so it's safe to assume that he stole something from this lady."

"Perhaps you're right," Marik acknowledged before looking over at Janeiro. "...Is your friend alright?"

Ryo finally looked back at Janeiro when Marik reminded him of her presence in the tomb. She was still staring at the paintings with wide eyes; clearly she was not taking this lightly, and that was no surprise to Ryo. Ryo had been used to all sorts of surprises like this, so it was quick for him to adjust to them. But Janeiro was new to it all; she had no idea that she was related to an Egyptian ruler.

 _..._

 _The Shadow Realm_

Bakura frowned at Rena. "You clearly know nothing about me, do you?" he asked her. "I don't work with others unless I benefit greatly from the experience. There is not much to gain from helping you, and I will be perfectly fine getting what I want without you slowing me down with your little games."

Rena smirked and shrugged her shoulders, sighing loudly and sarcastically. "I knew you'd be difficult," she reacted calmly before grinning near-insanely at the other dark spirit. "That's why _they're_ here."

The girl snapped her fingers, and the shadow snakes - which Bakura had almost forgotten about - struck at Bakura in unison. Bakura growled at the sudden sensation of his skin being punctured in various places, his body slowly starting to emit a dark aura. He watched Rena approach him with a look of pure anger; he had surrendered to her, but he knew that he could get back at her. He wasn't surrendering through weakness; he was surrendering through pity for the other soul. Rena could have her fun for now, but once she was done with using him he would definitely finish her off for good.

The white-haired male held back a grin as he imagined his plan coming to life in the close future. Rena stepped towards him, still wearing her smug and sadistic grin.

"It's going to be fun using you use a host," she mocked before throwing herself at Bakura. There was a bright flash of light which engulfed the pair - and possibly the rest of their surroundings - before Bakura re-opened his eyes.

He was lying down on his back, staring up at the sky. He was blinded by the sun so he instinctively shielded himself with his arms. The young man pushed himself onto his feet. He felt... different. He was used to feeling strong and controlling, but now...

He felt how Ryo felt whenever he was within him.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	9. Chapter IX

**~Chapter IX~**

 _Nefertari's Tomb, Egypt, Present Day_

Janeiro gasped and grimaced suddenly, grasping her head. Ryo was about to ask if she was alright, but found himself suddenly acting a similar away. Almost as quickly as the sudden pain had come, it went. Both Ryo and Janeiro looked extremely confused as to what had just happened, and poor Marik was even more baffled. But the pair both felt... lighter.

"...I feel... different..." Janeiro tried to describe, her eyes moving to fix onto Ryo. "What about you...?"

"I... don't quite feel the same as I did a moment ago..." he responded. "...You don't suppose that this tomb is cursed, do you...?"

"I doubt it," Marik chimed in. "I don't feel anything."

"How peculiar..." Ryo muttered before looking back at the painting of his devious past-self. He was still silently questioning what just happened to him, as was Janeiro, but the two didn't seem to think that the recent occurrence was something to worry about too much.

 _..._

Bakura ambled through the sands of Egypt, knowing that Rena was watching his every move. He wasn't too fond of this, and quite truthfully he didn't want to go searching for two pointless artifacts, but this gave him something to do. Yugi was still in Japan at this moment in time, so looking for the sceptre and scythe mentioned by his new enemy wouldn't stop him from accomplishing his goal. If Yugi arrived in Egypt before Bakura found the two specific items then plans would have to change; Bakura would prevent Rena from controlling him so that he could kill Yugi. Maybe he could even destroy Rena while she was still inside him.

"Well then, are you going to tell me where to find these items or not?" he asked irritably, knowing that Rena had the power to listen and respond.

"They should be buried in a certain tomb," Rena answered in Bakura's mind. "A tomb that I thought was undiscovered, but oddly enough our hosts are both exploring the tomb right now."

Bakura raised an eyebrow curiously, a frown still plastered on his face. "And whose tomb is it?" he questioned. He knew that it would be the tomb of somebody important, so he had to ask.

"Nefertari," Rena answered, a smirk practically audible in her voice. "Queen to few, criminal to many."

"Nefertari..." Bakura muttered, letting the name stick into his mind. It sounded somewhat familiar to him, but again he wasn't able to remember why it was so familiar. "Very well. I suppose you know where this tomb may be?"

"Yes," Rena replied. "I'll guide you so that you don't get lost; and yes, I expect you to go there on foot. We're not too far away from the tomb's location."

"Hmph," Bakura huffed. "Well, we don't have all day now, do we?" The white-haired man started to stride through the sand and the heat, closing in on the location of Nefertari's tomb as he listened to instructions from his soon-to-be victim.

 _..._

"We should really tell Yugi about this place," Ryo thought out loud. "He's the one who received the scripture from the other Janeiro. This tomb... This _lady..._ is clearly linked to the story of the King and Queen."

"I agree," Marik nodded. "Yugi definitely deserves to know. We should refrain from moving anything around until he gets here to see this."

"Right," Ryo responded before looking over at Janeiro. Her eyes were still fixated on the painting of Queen Nefertari being led to her death - a death which was seemingly too horrific to be featured on the walls of this tomb - while Ryo's evil ancestor gazed at the scene with some stolen treasure in his hand.

"We should leave for now," Marik stated as he turned and began making his way to the tomb's exit. Ryo nodded his head in agreement, walking over to Janeiro and gently placing a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, snapping out of her trance, gazing back at Ryo with wide eyes.

"...Come on, Janeiro," Ryo said softly to her before smiling a warm smile. "We'll come back down here with Yugi when he arrives. Then we can finally solve this puzzle."

Janeiro gazed at him silently before returning her focus to the painting. "Um..." she muttered quietly. "...I'll come out in a few minutes."

Ryo looked concerned. "We really must be leaving now..." he admitted. "Until Yugi arrives we're not supposed to touch anything."

"I know, but..." Janeiro reacted hesitantly. "I just... I don't understand this. That lady looks like me, and that man looks like you. I don't know how these two are related, but it can't mean anything good for us. Something is going to happen; there's a reason for this tomb resurfacing when you and I met again. It must have something to do with Yami Bakura and... the other me."

Ryo's expression became a worried frown as he too laid his eyes upon the painted wall. Everything almost seemed to be planned out for them; a tomb is discovered potentially showing their past-selves, they reunite after years of not seeing each other and two Yami personalities are brought into the world after they revive their friendship. Something wasn't right, which Ryo knew just as well as Janeiro, but right now he just wanted to do as Marik said. He wanted to wait for Yugi; Yugi was better at handling these situations.

Just outside the tomb, Marik stood waiting. He wondered why the pair were taking so long to leave, but he wasn't impatient. The dark-skinned male stood there in thought until from the corner of his eye he spotted someone walking through the desert. His instinct was to turn and face whoever was approaching, and when he did all he could do was widen his eyes. The other individual may have been far away, but his long white hair was a dead giveaway.

"No way..." Marik muttered to himself, turning to look back into the tomb before once again looking at the approaching threat. Quite clearly the individual was Bakura - the _bad_ Bakura. How could such a sight be possible? Ryo was still in the tomb with Janeiro...

Marik ran back into the tomb, almost thinking that Ryo would no longer be there. To his relief but also to his confusion Marik saw that Ryo was still standing at Janeiro's side, eyes on the painting of the thief standing on the columns. The pair took a few seconds to register his entrance before they both turned their heads to face him.

"Bakura..." Marik began before either of the two could speak. "Bakura's coming!"

Ryo's eyes widened and he felt a bead of sweat immediately form on the side of his head. "What are you talking about...?" he asked quietly. "You must be seeing things, I'm right here... It's surely impossible for _him_ to appear at the same time as me!"

"Bakura...?" Janeiro gasped, looking frightened. "Are you certain?!"

"Pale with long white hair, foreign clothing..." Marik recalled. "If it wasn't Bakura then it can only be an imposter or relative."

Having to see the sight for himself, Ryo sprinted out of the tomb. He felt his heart sink when he saw exactly what Marik had described - a second Bakura.

Janeiro and Marik caught up to him, and all three of them were staring hopelessly as the incarnation of Zorc made his way towards them.

"We must protect this tomb," Marik declared. "He's coming here for something and we must not let him get what he wants!"

"This is all happening for a reason..." Janeiro whispered, reminding herself of her theory. This was all part of some kind of plan which nobody seemed to understand.

A frown was visible on Bakura's face as he approached, but once he stopped before the group he allowed himself to smirk. "Hmph," he reacted to their defensive presence.

"What do you want, Bakura?!" Marik snapped immediately. He knew just how manipulative and sadistic this spirit could be, and was now well aware of his significance in Ancient Egypt.

"What I want is of no importance to you," Bakura answered simply. "I recommend you step aside or else I'll make the three of you suffer for wasting my time."

Ryo grit his teeth and stepped forward, though it his fear was evident. "You..." he began. "How are you here? How are you in a separate body? It doesn't make sense!"

Bakura grinned widely. "Believe me, I'm not actually enjoying my current situation," he admitted. "But you of all people should know that I do whatever it takes to get what I want."

"Well, we will never let you get what you want!" Ryo attempted to snap. "You only crave destruction, and we will never let you cause trouble for this world again!"

Bakura let out a sarcastic huff, his grin never leaving his face. "Naive as always," he commented. "You're sweet demeanor is why you were my favourite host. You were weak to my control and when I was conscious I could use your face and voice to trick your closest friends. I'm actually excited to hide within your body again once I finish this little job I've been tasked with completing."

Ryo growled, upset by the remarks. "You're not controlling me ever again!" he cried.

"It's not like you have a choice," Bakura taunted.

"Enough of this!" Marik interrupted. "Begone, you evil spirit! You're not wanted here!"

"Oh, please, not one of you has the power to match me," Bakura scoffed, his eyes widening as his expression became more frightful. "I am beyond you mortals! And in this body, it's double the fun when I play rough!"

"Double the fun...?" Ryo muttered to himself, confused. Had he gotten stronger somehow? How much more power did he have in this form? And why would he be so desperate to be part of Ryo again if he was now stronger and in his own body?

Still, Marik remained defensive as he responded to Bakura's words. "As a tomb-keeper I will never let you get past! And as an archaeologist it is my duty to preserve any historical findings!"

"Now you're just being funny," Bakura mocked before raising his hand. "Oh well; no matter. Don't say I didn't ask you nicely!" A purple ball of energy began to form in his hand. Marik hadn't seen this before from Bakura so had no idea what was happening, but Ryo had seen the power his alter ego could produce. In the past all he could do was watch as Bakura unleashed this energy on those who got in his way. Knowing that the evil spirit was going to attack Marik, he immediately ran forwards and shielded him. The white-haired boy flinched as he felt the dark ball of energy launch into his chest; it was more painful than expected. It burned, but the sensation was cold. He felt as if blood was seeping from his chest, but no wound was visible. Not even his striped shirt showed signs of damage, but something had definitely been done.

He couldn't breathe. He tried to gasp a few times, but his breaths were quick and hoarse. His eyelids fluttered and his brown eyes glazed, his vision blurring before fading to black.

"Ryo!" Janeiro cried as her friend fell to the floor, having just used himself as a human shield to protect Marik. The girl ran to his side, dropping to her knees as she held his unconscious form across her lap.

Despite not hitting his original target, Bakura let out a menacing laugh. "You mortals never learn," he spat. "Cooperating with my demands is much easier than resisting them; otherwise people get hurt!"

Janeiro gazed up at Bakura fearfully, tears streaming from her eyes. She was desperate to stand up and tackle him for what he just did. She wanted to fight him. She wanted to hurt him. But she knew she couldn't; it wasn't just because of her gentle nature, but also her physical strength and her current state of mind. She was too worried about Ryo right now, not to mention that Bakura was clearly a lot stronger than her. All she could so was tremble as those cold brown eyes locked onto her, that sadistic grin never fading from the pale man's face.

He was going to get what he wanted.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	10. Chapter X

**~Chapter X~**

As Bakura started walking towards the entrance to the tomb, Janeiro could only look away and tremble as she cradled Ryo in her arms. His body was unmoving, but Janeiro was too afraid to check his pulse. What was she supposed to do if there was none? How does one resuscitate somebody who had been attacked by something which had visibly caused no damage?

Marik stood in horror, watching as Bakura was about to make his way into the recently uncovered tomb of Nefertari. He couldn't let him go inside, so immediately he ran in front of him with his arms stretched out to both sides respecctively.

"I cannot let you enter," he firmly stated. Bakura stopped in his tracks and instantly grinned.

"You don't sound very confident," he acknowledged. "Why don't you just step aside before you end up like my little host over there?"

"I'd rather end up like him than live knowing that I didn't try to stop you," Marik snarled, even though a hint of some kind of fear was still evident in his voice.

"Heh," Bakura snickered, lifting his hand. "Suit yourself, Marik."

Marik braced himself for pain, but knew that just standing there would mean nothing. He yelled out angrily and ran towards the pale individual, grabbing him by the wrists and proceeding to wrestle him. Bakura seemed somewhat caught off guard, but he soon found himself laughing.

"At least now you can vanish from this world knowing that you threw yourself at me like a pathetic child," he taunted, grabbing Marik by his throat and lifting him up. Marik grit his teeth and started to gasp for air, clawing at Bakura's hand. His purple eyes were then on Janeiro, who was currently still holding Ryo across her lap. One of his hands shakily let go of Bakura's and reached towards the aqua-haired girl as he opened his mouth to say something, but whatever he said was barely audible.

But Janeiro was able to guess what he was trying to say: _Run._ Any sane person would. She had no chance against Bakura so any attempt at stopping him would be useless, therefore her only option would be to flee while she was still able to, however she refused.

Ryo was dying. And so was Marik.

"Bakura, stop!" she heard herself cry out as she held Ryo closer, her eyes tightly shut. Bakura raised his eyebrow curiously and turned his head a little, glancing back at the girl. Was she honestly trying to challenge him? Was she honestly trying to be the hero? How pathetic.

The white-haired individual couldn't help but chuckle, dropping the almost-unconscious Marik onto the sandy ground. He turned so that he was facing Janeiro completely, an amused look on his face.

"Very well, Janeiro, I've stopped," he said, lifting up his arms and shrugging his shoulders at her with a grin on his face as he delivered the sentence. After that he slid his hands back down into the pockets of his light-coloured trousers, stepping towards the girl and towering above her, casting a shadow over both her and Ryo as he gave her a menacing glare, all while keeping that sadistic grin on his face. "Now what do you plan to do next?"

Janeiro trembled and slowly looked up at the evil spirit, her heart almost coming to a stop. There was only silence for a long moment, save for her wavering breaths, as she slowly glanced down at Ryo. Her grip on him tigthened and her tears dripped from her eyes and onto the unconscious boy's head.

"...Please..." she whimpered quietly. "I don't want to lose him... Please, don't let him succumb to the darkness!"

She wasn't challenging him. She was begging for him to save Ryo's life. That was even more pathetic! How could anyone drop to that level, where they'd have to beg their enemy for help?

Oh well, he had to reward her for trying.

"You're not going to lose him," he assured, earning a somewhat hopeful gaze from the young girl. The male's grin only widened as he pointed at her. "You're going to _join_ him!"

Janeiro's eyes widened in horror. She saw a bright flash and was blinded for a split second. Her heart seemed to be in her head as she heard a loud beating sound, and suddenly the world around her began to fade.

 _..._

 _Domino City Airport, Japan, Present Day_

"Our flight's boarding in about ten minutes," Yugi noted as he looked at the electrical board. "Well, I didn't think I'd be traveling back to Egypt this soon."

"Neither did I," Joey added.

"Hey," Tristan cut in. "Has Marik contacted you at all?"

"Not for a while," Yugi answered, sounding concerned for a brief moment before shrugging off all troubling thoughts. "But he knows we're on our way; hopefully we can uncover more about the mystery of the tragic king and queen..."

"Yeah," Tea agreed, nodding her head. "We can find out who they were and what happened to them, and how Bakura is connected to it all."

"Along with that freaky other side of Janeiro," Joey added. "She gives me the creeps."

"I'm sure we'll find our answers once we get to Egypt," Sakura assured, looking then at her smaller friend beside her. "You should look a little more excited, Riko; you have relatives here."

"I _had_ relatives here," Riko corrected, folding her arms. "My grandparents died years ago. Geez, I feel like you barely know me at all." Sakura only chuckled softly at the girl's reaction.

 _..._

 _?_

Janeiro slowly came to her senses, her hand firmly placed on her forehead due to the sheer pain she was feeling. Where was she now? Was she dead?

Ryo. Where was Ryo?

"R-Ryo!" the girl called out as she clumsily got up to her feet, looking around.

The surrounding area seemed to be a desert; she was back in Egypt, but it was night time. Had she finally woken up?

...No. This Egypt was not the same. She was in a different place entirely.

Had she been abducted?

The last thing she remembered was being knocked out, or killed, by Yami Bakura.

But she couldn't focus on that for long. Realising that she was in a village of some sort, she found that she had to get out of the road; a small group of men were walking together, carrying torches. Janeiro hid between two of the ancient-looking houses and watched as they walked by. So far nobody had even noticed her yet.

Once the group had walked by, Janeiro noticed that everyone was watching them and some even started to follow or walk ahead, people even coming out of their homes. She noticed that they seemed to be heading towards what looked like a small palace built into the mountain at the end of the village. Curiosity overwhelmed her as she chose to follow the group, noticing how everyone was wearing bizarre clothes; surely people should be looking at her by now when she stood out like a sore thumb.

The young teen was able to reach the same destination as the group of men and she decided to remain hidden. A man stepped out from the centre of the group, or rather he was shoved forward by the dark-haired man with unusually pale skin for somebody living in Egypt. His hair was scruffy and was coloured light-grey, being relatively long but not too long. He wore a typical beige shenti, but that was it. His feet were bare and he wore no jewellery; he seemed to be rather poor compared to the other men he had walked with.

It became obvious that this man was no friend to the people. Janeiro noticed people scowling at him, including the men who had walked him there.

Two women came out of the palace. One was dark haired with brown eyes, her appearance like that of a regular Egyptian. Her clothes were very revealing and she wore jewellery, such as a golden tiara upon her head and jewelled bangles around her wrists. Her clothing was also made somewhat of gold and beads, almost as if it was some sort of armour.

The second woman did not look as Egyptian. She was still tanned, but her hair was blonde. She wore similar clothing to the other girl, only not quite as revealing. The similarities in their attire proved that they were both working together in the same job, but what job was it?

"Vile cur," spat the black-haired girl. "Bend your knee and show some respect for the queen!"

The man was keeping his head down, ignoring the girl's demand. She looked greatly offended, but before she could speak the pale-skinned man forced him onto the other's knees. The grey-haired man showed barely any emotional response to the action, keeping his head down.

And from the palace, she stepped out.

Her.

Nefertari, the Queen of Outcasts.

Janeiro almost felt her heart stop as her eyes widened. How was she alive?!

...Was this a memory?

Was Janeiro currently in the past, witnessing an actual event which occurred for the deceased ruler?

"I see we have a late night guest," the woman remarked as she stepped closer to the man. He almost seemed to tense up, but not enough for it to be noticed.

As expected, the man in the shenti gave no response. The queen frowned slightly but remained calm, bending down while still towering over the accused thief.

"It seems that you're not a very talkative man," she noted. "Not to worry, I've made fools like you talk before; we have our ways in this village."

"He had tried to enter your palace," spoke up one intellectual-looking Egyptian with the typical black bobbed hair. "Once we spotted him he made an attempt to flee, but I was able to slow him down by shooting him in the leg with an arrow."

Nefertari raised her eyebrow and looked, nodding her head once she saw the bleeding wound on the side of the thief's thigh.

"I can see that," she stated, her eyes never leaving the man before her. "Take him to the dungeons and make sure he's chained up in a securely locked cell; I will deal with him tomorrow."

The thief was lifted up to his feet and led inside the palace, but as Janeiro watched she felt a tugging sensation on her arm.

"E-Excuse me...?" came a child's voice.

 _What?_

How could someone be making contact with her? Wasn't this just a shadow of the past?

The girl turned around and looked down slowly, seeing the fearful purple eyes of a small boy staring back up at her. He had fluffy white hair and wore rags; for some reason he beared a striking resemblance to Ryo. Perhaps Marik. No, a combination of both. But how was he able to see her?

"I..." he stuttered shyly. "I-I lost my dad..."

A lost child. Had he ended up in this memory by accident as well? What if Bakura had been incredibly messed-up and decided to fuse Marik and Ryo into one being?

...Too far, Janeiro. Too far.

"Um..." Janeiro hesitated. "I-I'll... help you... look for him..."

But as she said that, the world around her became distorted. The boy was almost glitching before her eyes, as was the village around her.

And soon, Janeiro was only surrounded by darkness once again.

 _What on earth had just happened?_

 _..._

Trapped in darkness once again. Ryo had become too used to this.

But the world around him began to shift.

He had just been sitting curled up in the shadows, and now he was sitting...

In an inn?

An old inn?

 _'Another illusion...'_ he thought as he stood up. This reminded him of earlier when he and Janeiro ran towards what looked like Egypt before they were brought out of the Shadow Realm.

As he stood, Ryo noticed that he was beside a table with only one person sitting at it. They kept their head down as they firmly grasped a cup of some kind of alcoholic drink in their hand. The individual had longish light-grey hair which didn't seem to be kept particularly tidy.

Unlike Janeiro, Ryo was able to identify this man straight away.

It was his ancestor.

Anger immediately flared up in the boy, and that was out of character for him. He was fairly certain he had just experienced death at the hands of his alter-ego, so this was obviously the Shadow Realm. He was going to be here permanently.

Despite having some fear left within him, Ryo slammed his hand down on the table tearfully.

"You!" he cried. "It's your fault I'm here! Where am I?! Is this the Shadow Realm?!"

No response came from the thief. Ryo scowled but then his eyes widened.

 _He couldn't be seen._

Ryo looked at his own hands in complete fear, taking a few steps back. What was happening? Something perculiar was obviously going on but he just couldn't get his head around it. Was he dead or not? Why was he... here? In an ancient inn with his ancestor?

 _His ancestor..._

Was his name even Bakura? Everyone seemed to assume so. He had just decided to refer to him as Thief King Bakura because, during his time, many who encountered him or heard of him would tell others of the "Thief King".

This was the very man who caused him to become possessed by the Millennium Ring as a child. He was a selfish individual who wanted to revive Zorc.

Technically he succeeded in later years, after using Ryo's body for a good amount of time.

Surely he had been destroyed. Why was Ryo seeing a vision of him here in Ancient Egypt? He wasn't even wearing his signature red cloak that Yugi had told him about...

Had the thief king not attacked the Capital at this point?

Obviously not.

Ryo stared at him a little long before the thief stood up. A chill went down Ryo's spine as he almost met eyes with the man; his expression was cold and his purple eyes were darker than they should be, and that scar on his face emphasized that he was not a man to take lightly.

But before the thief could leave, the door to the inn was slammed.

By the inn keeper.

Ryo was surprised and even jumped at the sudden action, deciding to remain close to the wall while also keeping his ancestor in his view. He was frightened yet also curious to see what was going on.

The thief king stopped walking, his expression vacant. This didn't seem to be the first time somebody had confronted him, and it definitely wasn't the last.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you when you walked in here," the inn keeper spoke. "Scarred eye... Light hair... Purple eyes... You're the one they call the Thief King, aren't you?!"

Thief King Bakura simply stood there and stared blankly for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"You're in my way," was all he responded with.

The inn keeper looked confused at the reply, noticing that it was clearly the man's way of avoiding the topic. He then grinned locked the door so that the thief king had no way out.

"The Pharaoh wants you dead or alive," he recalled. "I'm sure he won't mind if we perform the execution here and now."

Others seemed to be grinning and slowly standing from their seats, stepping closer to the accused individual. Still, the thief king didn't seem to flinch.

"I bet you feel real stupid, don't you?" the inn keeper mocked. "Thinking that you could walk into a place like this without being recognized... I thought the Thief King would be smarter than that!"

The thief smiled ever so slightly and tilted his head to the side, though his expression still remained somewhat emotionless. "I'm flattered," he spoke in an empty tone of voice before his small smile faded away. "But you should know from the many stories that I'm not particularly kind to those who try to rat me out."

"Whatever!" the inn keeper scoffed. "Rip him open, boys!"

The crowd of mildly-drunk men swarmed at him, yelling and chortling as they attempted to grab him. To their surprise, the thief king was able to slide out of the cluster and run to the bar. He grabbed the bag of gold, which obviously belonged to the inn keeper, before he grabbed one of the torches keeping the place light during the evening hours. He threw the torch towards the crowd and was actually pleased that everybody avoided it since it hit the wooden door. The thief grabbed a second torch and set fire to the counter. Now that the place was in chaos it didn't seem like anybody was focused on attacking him. The young man proceeded to leap out of a window before he ran off into the night. The inn keeper was yelling at him, but it was actually difficult to understand what he was saying.

Ryo was in shock and horror. His ancestor was truly a diabolical man. But for some reason he wasn't quite how he had imagined him to be... From what Yugi and the others had told him, the thief king was an evil and psychotic individual, but in this situation he had been calm. He didn't grin a terrifying grin or laugh like a maniac, he was just completely void of emotion.

Or at least, he was doing his very best to hide his emotions.

As the flames consumed the inn, the world around him went to being complete darkness. Ancient Egypt was gone.

In front of him, to his relief, he saw Janeiro walking around as if she was looking for something.

"Janeiro!" he called out. The girl turned around and let out a sigh of relief as she ran to him and gave him a hug,

"Ryo," she whimpered. "I was so scared! Th-There was this weird memory! I-I saw Nefertari!"

"You had a memory, too?" Ryo gasped, looking at her in the eyes.

"Yeah!" Janeiro answered before she actually processed Ryo's sentence. "Wait... Ryo, did you... did you see something, too...?"

"Yes, I did..." Ryo nodded. "I was in this weird inn... I was in Ancient Egypt... a-and my ancestor... the King of Thieves... he burned the place down..."

"Your ancestor...?" Janeiro spoke slowly.

 _Wait a minute..._

"That's who she was talking to!" the girl finally realised.

"Pardon?" Ryo reacted, appearing confused. Janeiro looked at him, her eyes wide.

"Nefertari..." Janeiro began. "She was talking to an accused thief... I-It must have been your ancestor!"

"Are you sure...?" Ryo queried slowly. "There were plenty of thieves in Ancient Egypt..."

Janeiro shook her head. "Ryo... Something is going on. You and I reuniting... Yami Bakura and... that other me... And now these memories after we just visited the recently-discovered tomb of my apparent ancestor!"

There was a pause before Janeiro continued talking. "Everything is very confusing," she confessed. "I... I thought we were both dead... In fact, I'm not sure what we are... Or where we are, for that matter... But one thing is certain: your ancestor knew Nefertari, and now something that happened thousands of years ago between them is resurfacing."

It sounded just about right. There was that weird scripture left by Janeiro's other half which seemed incredibly cryptic, telling the story of a king and a queen.

...

...

Hold on.

"Janeiro..." Ryo spoke quietly and very slowly. "Marik said that he had translated a scripture for Yugi... left by your other half..."

Janeiro nodded her head, tilting her head to the side. "Yes, he did..." she recalled. "What about it? I don't remember it, if that's what you're asking..."

The girl paused. "...Wait... Wait a minute..."

It was starting to come to her head.

Here, in the Shadow Realm, she was able to recall something that she wouldn't normally be able to recall. But she had to focus.

"There was once a queen who fell in love with a king," she began, sounding like she was really trying hard to remember, "but they could not be together. They were both bad people. They did not deserve their royal titles. To save each other, they stayed apart. The queen was killed, and a few years later the king was also killed. Both the king and the queen were forgotten until they were reunited thousands of years later. Now bad memories will start to return, and the future will twist to reflect the tragedies of the past."

Janeiro blinked a few times. How was she...?

How did she even...?

"...Wow..." she gasped to herself. "Ryo... Did I just...?"

"You remembered something left behind by your other half," Ryo explained. "It happens to me sometimes, but I've done my best to ignore any of his memories; some of them are awfully disturbing."

Ryo then tapped his chin as he told himself the little story again, but he didn't speak it out loud.

 _"There was once a queen who fell in love with a king."_

Nothing seemed to suggest that Nefertari and the thief king had a romantic relationship; in fact from the little knowledge Ryo had it seemed like his ancestor had stolen something from her. And if he had seen what Janeiro had witnessed then he really wouldn't believe that the two ever... _fell in love._ Unless it was never even love to begin with; the message was a cryptic one, after all, and was probably not supposed to be easily solved.

"But they could not be together. They were both bad people."

Were they secretly in love, or were they always enemies? Did something happen? What was it?

And both bad people...

The thief king was a thief, and Ryo knew that he was much more than that. He wanted the world to be plunged into darkness, and it seemed that he was still pursuing those goals.

And Nefertari, while he knew so little about her, was presumably executed by the Pharaoh. She was seen as a bad person because she helped the outcasts of society.

 _"They did not deserve their royal titles."_

A king or queen was someone who sat upon the throne and ruled the land. Neither Ryo's ancestor or Nefertari actually did that.

Ryo's ancestor was a king of _thieves._

Janeiro's ancestor was a queen of _outcasts._

Many could say that they both definitely did not deserve to be viewed as royalty.

 _"To save each other, they stayed apart. The queen was killed, and a few years later the king was also killed."_

Perhaps at some point the two did indeed have to separate, knowing that they would be vulnerable together.

Or maybe the thief king did not want somebody interfering with his goal, and the queen of outcasts did not want to be involved with someone so cruel.

As for their deaths, it did seem accurate. On the tomb's wall the thief king had painted himself, and he could not have done that if he had died before Nefertari. He died some time later when he had originally attempted to revive Zorc.

 _"Both the king and the queen were forgotten until they were reunited thousands of years later."_

Reunited? It was true that they had both been forgotten, with the memory Thief King Bakura only being revived in the Pharaoh's recollections and Nefertari being rediscovered thanks to Marik finding her long lost tomb. But none of these events crossed paths?

...Wait, of course!

Janeiro's other half had been made by Yami Bakura by accident. She was a mixture of both him and Janeiro...

Or someone else.

 _Nefertari._ That other half of Janeiro's must have been created by Nefertari somehow!

Or maybe the reunion was not referring to the two dark spirits...

But Ryo and Janeiro themselves.

As soon as they met each other after three years, all of this chaos ensued.

This was starting to make too much sense.

 _"Now bad memories will start to return, and the future will twist to reflect the tragedies of the past."_

Bad memories were definitely returning, without a doubt. The current situation of the pair was a perfect example; they had just witnessed separate memories of their respective ancestors.

And the tragedies of the past...

Bakura was up to something again. That spirit never could rest, could he? He waited for thousands of years to try destroying the world just because he disliked the Pharaoh. And now he was doing the same thing again.

The white-haired boy slowly gave Janeiro a look of horror.

"Janeiro..." he began. "That... That thing you just said... That thing you just remembered from your other half..."

"...Yes?" Janeiro replied, sounding unsettled.

"...It's to do with us."

Janeiro's eyes widened. "What?!" she exclaimed.

"I just thought about it," Ryo told her. "It all makes sense. The King of Thieves. The Queen of Outcasts. They were both despised by the kingdom and they were forgotten after their deaths. They weren't actual royalty, either, therefore they did not deserve their titles. Because we, the descendants of the king and queen, reunited thousands of years later... they're coming back. A-And they want revenge on the world for something."

"Wait, so does that mean that Bakura is working on another plan to destroy the world?!" Janeiro gasped in complete horror.

"Of course he is!" Ryo almost snapped. "What else would he be doing?!" He let himself calm down by letting out a quick sigh. "Look, we are trapped in this state of mind. We may even be trapped here in the Shadow Realm forever. But if we can witness those memories... we can witness them all."

Janeiro was immediately aware of Ryo's plan. "Ryo..." she spoke. "Are you saying that...?"

Ryo simply nodded, knowing her question. "We're going to look at the past. The true past, not a twisted game or a false memory. If we can find out what happened all those years ago, we can stop Bakura before it's too late!"

 **~End of Chapter~**


	11. Chapter XI

**~Chapter XI~**

 _Nefertari's Tomb, Egypt, Present Day_

Bakura made his way into the tomb of Nefertari, now that nobody was standing in his way; Ryo and Janeiro were both down for the count and Marik was still trying to regain all of his awareness.

Now all he had to do was find those artifacts.

"Well then," he spoke up. "I suppose you know where these artifacts are?"

"In the burial chamber itself," Rena answered in his mind. "The sceptre and the scythe. As soon as you see them, destroy them!"

Bakura still couldn't help but think about how odd such a request was. Why was Rena so bothered about a sceptre and a scythe?

Nevertheless, the embodiment of darkness stepped through the tomb's narrow hallways, only to find himself distracted by the paintings on the wall - the same paintings Ryo and Janeiro had previously studied. He stopped in his tracks to look up at them; despite the darkness he was still able to see, considering that he was born from it.

He saw the same story. The queen of outcasts, Nefertari, being taken away to her place of execution in the palace. Even he was quick to see the similarities between the ancient village leader and Janeiro. The pale individual almost smirked when a little theory popped up in his head.

But his eyes were then on the painting of the thief. The thief he possessed all those years ago. The thief that many people mistook him for. In the image it looked as if he had stolen something from the woman, but Bakura couldn't quite understand why his image was in this tomb. Did he come in here and paint that picture himself? And if so, why? Just to show that he had robbed this woman?

...No. Bakura knew that the thief was not like that.

Bakura decided to ignore the thief's painting for now, instead deciding to interrogate Rena as he proceeded to navigate into the burial chamber.

"So then, is this your place of burial?" he asked. Rena seemed to be taken aback by the question, and Bakura knew this. Before she could begin to answer he decided to dig a little deeper.

"You resemble the woman in the paintings," he continued. "She didn't receive a very happy ending, did she? Did she vow revenge? Is her business unfinished?"

Rena merely started laughing. At first Bakura assumed she was being defensive, but then he frowned. Had he actually been wrong?

"You're such a fool, Bakura," she stated as her laughter died down. "I'll admit that you are close - _very_ close - but not close enough. You see, I'm not simply a spirit returning for revenge. I'm a product."

Bakura raised his eyebrow. "Of what?" he questioned curiously.

"If I tell you it won't make this game interesting," Rena replied simply. "Now please, do hurry up and destroy those two items!"

The white-haired teenager dug around the room irritably, searching for the two artifacts, until he found them buried beneath a pile of other treasures. He couldn't help but wonder why the thief who once entered this tomb didn't take anything else besides a small bracelet...

But as Bakura reached forward and grasped the scythe he felt a burning sensation. His own soul was being attacked. The spirit growled and instantly pulled his hand away, instead reaching for the sceptre, but his almost felt as if he was being electrocuted, so again he pulled away.

"Don't bother picking them up, just destroy them!" Rena snapped.

"What are they?" Bakura queried, a purple ball of energy beginning to form in his hand.

"They're not important anymore," Rena simply said as a reply.

"Hmph," Bakura responded, blasting the two objects.

They weren't even scratched.

Now the evil spirit looked annoyed as he grit his teeth. "Why are you wasting my time with these infuriating objects?" he asked Rena. "They simply won't be destroyed."

"So I thought..." Rena growled. "And you can't move them, either... Very well. Bury them back beneath the treasure and then seal this tomb; and if Yugi and his friends arrive make sure that the two girls don't touch those artifacts."

The two girls?

Of course. The ones he had somehow recognized.

Riko and Sakura.

 _..._

 _The Shadow Realm_

Ryo sat nervously on the ground, facing Janeiro. She had a look of worry on her face, but it was evident that she was trying to be tough.

"If we both focus really hard..." Ryo began quietly, "then we'll be able to see the entire story. We'll finally be able to find out the truth."

Janeiro nodded her head. "Right..." she muttered. "But... what if our souls are trapped here forever, Ryo...? We won't be able to do anything to stop Bakura..."

Ryo's expression saddened, but he leaned forwards and reassuringly grasped her hand, smiling sadly.

"Janeiro," he spoke softly. "We can only do our best. We might still be able to make it out of here, and then we can stop the evil me before it's too late. And if we stay here forever... it was worth a try, alright?"

Those words didn't seem to comfort Janeiro too much; she was someone who had recently awoken from a coma, and clearly she was terrified of the thought of death. So Ryo shuffled slightly closer to her and pulled her into a tight, warm embrace.

"Even if we end up being trapped here forever, suffering for eternity," his grip on her tightened slightly as he rested his head on her shoulder, "then at least we are together, without our alter-egos."

Janeiro gasped very quietly, her eyes widening tearfully. Shakily her arms wrapped around her friend, and she found herself clinging to him with her face buried into his shoulder. Ryo could tell that she was still afraid, so for a moment his expression was solemn and sympathetic, but a small smile was quick to return as he rubbed her back.

"It's going to be alright..." he cooed in a soothing tone of voice. "I can withstand anything with you here. It's better than being alone, or trapped with an evil spirit... If anything bad happens, then we have each other..."

Janeiro lifted her head and looked up at him, tears in her eyes. She could see him smiling softly down at her, so she decided to wipe away her tears and smile back.

"Ryo..." she barely whispered. "I... I'm glad I met you again... Even if it... did cause all of this chaos... I-I'm just happy that... we're together again..."

"We always will be..." Ryo assured. "Whether we're in the Shadow Realm or in Domino City... you have my word..."

The sentence almost made Janeiro's heart skip a beat. She smiled brightly and even let out a soft, sweet giggle as Ryo gave her one last squeeze before pulling away, hands still firmly gripping hers.

"Let's not waste anymore time," he said. "We still might be able to escape from the Shadow Realm, so let's discover the truth of our ancestors before we run out of time to save the world."

Janeiro nodded her head, her grip on Ryo's hands tightening. "Let's do it," she declared before bowing her head and closing her amethyst eyes. Ryo did the same, and for a moment the two sat there in silence.

Meditating.

...And with their combined thought power, they both began to see the same sight.

Egypt.

Ancient Egypt.

 _And thus, the story shall witness the events of the past so that the truth of the forgotten royalty can be unveiled._

 **~End of Chapter~**


	12. Chapter XII

**~Chapter XII~**

 _El-Isfet, Egypt, over 5,000 years ago_

The sun was bright. The sand was hot.

It was just another day in Egypt.

Four young men walked through the village together, heading towards the relatively small-sized palace.

One young man had dark skin, a little darker than the others. His teal hair was floppy and slightly long, flicking outwards at the bottom just towards the bottom of his neck. While he appeared Egyptian one thing did stand out about him: his eyes were a light, almost lime, green.

As for this man's clothes, they were mere beige rags. They were tattered and hung on him loosely, kept together by thick dark brown threads. The man wore practically nothing else aside from some worn sandals, and for some reason he had a leather collar tied around his neck.

The second man had lighter skin than the first, but he still had a dark tan colour to him. His hair was a wavy black bob, his bangs parted to the sides. He had one dark brown eye, but his right eye was practically the same colour as his beige clothing. There was a scar marking beneath his right eye as well, so it seemed as if he had gotten into a fight at some point and had himself blinded.

As for his clothing, he still wore rags. Only these rags fit him better and they were wrapped around him like actual clothes. They were coloured beige and light brown, and on his feet the man wore similar-coloured slippers. A brown leather strap of some sort - a belt - was strapped diagonally across his torso, and he wore a short beaded necklace around his neck.

The third man was definitely not Egyptian. His skin was pale, his face freckled slightly. The man's eyes were a dark purple and his hair was black, similar in length to the man before him but instead of being wavy it was straight and only flicked out just beyond the base of his neck.

This man wore a purple robe lined with dark brown on the inside and on his feet he wore leather sandals. Like the man before him he wore a tight necklace, only instead of being lined with beads it was lined with three fangs. Finally it could be seen that the man had both of his ears pierced, one earring in each earlobe. They weren't anything too fancy, just small hoop-shaped silver earrings.

The fourth man was relatively light-skinned but still tanned. His eyes were soft with subtle green eyes, the green not being as vibrant compared to the first man's eyes. Beneath his right eye was a small beauty spot, and his hair was that of a typical black Egyptian bob. His cheeks were lightly flushed, emphasizing his youthful and friendly appearance.

He wore rags similar to the second man, the cloth being wrapped around him rather neatly, but his outfit was coloured cream and reddish-brown. He wore fine slippers of a similar colour, and around his neck was a short golden necklace lined with three peridot stones. On his back he carried his bow and quiver of arrows.

Out of the palace stepped two young women - one with black hair and one with blonde.

The fourth man stepped forward and smiled as the group came to a halt. "Good morning, my ladies," he greeted, bowing his head politely. "Did you two sleep well?"

"Good morning, Haku," replied the blonde female, addressing the man by his name. "Last night was one of the most peaceful nights we've had in a long time; you and the others are doing a good job in warding off raiders."

"Not a single bandit even passed by the village last night," Haku assured, smiling in a friendly manner.

"Apparently criminal activity is increasing in the Capital," the second man commented nonchalently before flashing a flirtatious smirk while he rubbed his chin. "What a shame; I preferred it when I was the only crime out there."

"It sounds like the criminals were too afraid of us so they decided to cause trouble in the capital instead," the pale man guessed, grinning proudly.

"I kinda feel bad for the people in the Capital..." muttered the young man with teal hair. "I heard that last night an inn not far from the palace was burnt down by an infamous bandit..."

"You shouldn't feel so sorry for those ignorant Capital folk, Servus," the pale man responded to the teal-haired individual's comment. "If I wasn't a law-abiding citizen I'd burn the whole kingdom down! Heh heh!"

"Now, now, Kekku, you should be careful with what you say," spoke the powerful, commanding voice of the blue-haired ruler as she stepped out of the palace, catching the attention of all six people gathered outside.

"Oh! Good morning, my queen!" Kekku reacted, smiling nervously as he bowed. "Sorry, I may have gotten a _little_ carried away!"

"Hmph," was all Nefertari said in response, her purple eyes not once glancing at him as she focused on Haku. "I'm guessing that last night was alright for you four?"

"Yes," Haku nodded. "Not a threat in sight, your highness."

Nefertari nodded her head in understanding before her stern expression softened and she smiled softly. "I'm proud of you four," she admitted. "Truly, I am."

The flirtatious man scratched the back of his head. "Aw, queen, you're gonna make me blush," he responded with a little smile on his face. Nefertari chuckled quietly and briefly.

"Oh, Kubui..." she muttered in the chuckle, amused at the man's response.

"Hey, don't we get any credit?" the black-haired girl chipped in, folding her arms. "Akuma and I were the ones who traveled to the Capital to get help, remember? If it wasn't for us, these guys would still be living in the city going about their daily lives while we were getting raided every day."

Nefertari's small smile was still upon her face as she walked over and pat the girl on the head. "Of course you and Akuma get credit, Kiro," she told her. "If it weren't for you two then we would indeed be in a dire situation."

Kiro seemed almost guilty for giving the leader an example of her bad side, so she scratched her arm awkwardly and smiled. "Heh... heh heh..."

"It's a good thing Kiro and I are sociable people, huh?" Akuma added.

"Indeed," Nefertari nodded in agreement as she looked at the blonde woman.

Kekku stretched his arms out and yawned loudly, possibly exaggerating his tiredness just a little bit. "Well, I'm beat," he announced. "I'll be awake later this afternoon. See ya!"

As he walked off Kubui turned to Nefertari and said, "I'm feeling a little tired myself. I hope you have a wonderful day, ladies."

Nefertari tittered. "Sleep well, you boys," she replied with a smile. Haku and Servus were also quite tired and said their farewells as they too decided to head to their respective homes.

Kiro watched them all walk away before turning and beaming at the woman in the strapless black dress. "Do you have any plans today, my queen?" she asked her.

"I plan to relax," Nefertari answered, giving the dark-haired girl a mildly amused glance. "It's been a while since El-Isfet was this peaceful. The people have food, they have water, they have resources... and not a single bandit has been spotted in days."

Kiro smiled. "It is kinda peaceful, isn't it?" she asked rhetorically.

"I think I might bathe in the Nile," Akuma planned out loud.

"I'll join you, sis!" Kiro chirped before looking back at Nefertari. "How about you, my queen?"

Nefertari appeared to think about it for a moment. "Hm... I may join you later on," she answered. "I feel like doing some painting today."

"Feel free to join us whenever you want!" Akuma smiled. "Kiro and I will be there all day!"

Nefertari simply smiled and nodded. "Very well, but splash me with water and you're in for a very bad time."

Akuma laughed. "Haha, this time I won't challenge you to a water war," she assured before turning around. "Come on, Kiro, let's go and get our stuff!"

As the two girls ran off to get ready, Nefertari entered her palace to spend some alone time doing some art.

 _..._

 _The Capital, Egypt, over 5,000 years ago_

"Stop! Thief!" cried a city guard. He made a futile attempt to run after the grey-haired man, who had taken off on a stolen horse.

The thief spurred the horse to make it run as fast as it could. Last night he had stolen from an inn and caused a scene, but he didn't want to cause too much terror in the Capital. Not yet, at least. He had taken a few other possessions from houses and other buildings during the night and at some point he would most likely make trades with other bandits who know of him.

For now, however, he was going to return to his home.

Far away from the city.

Many villages were located near the Capital, but his was different. Every other village was vulnerable to being attacked by raiders and bandits, but not his.

That's because his home had no population. Nobody even knew it existed.

In fact, his village was hardly a village anymore. It was in ruins. Long ago it had been devastated by the selfish people of the Capital. The people were all killed.

All but the thief.

The tragedy wasn't something he was ever going to forget. It had stayed with him ever since that day, fueling his desire to make the Pharaoh feel the same pain.

 _Everyone_ in the Capital deserved to feel it.

He wanted to get the job done now, but he wasn't strong enough. It wasn't possible for him to single-handedly take down the capital city of Egypt.

He had to make _it_ stronger...

The man rode for what must have been hours and the heat would have been fatal if he didn't have a canteen of water. He drank from it vigorously every so often until eventually he reached his village's remains. The thief tugged at the horse's reigns to slow it down, walking on for a few moments before coming to a halt. His dark purple eyes stared at the ruins before he hopped off the horse and made his way home.

The horse followed him for a moment, but a ghostly apparition caused it to rear up and let out a fearful shriek before it galloped away.

"Tch," the thief huffed. "Happens every time..."

With the horse now gone, the thief made his way to the heart of the ruins. Skeletal ghosts glided past him frequently, but he didn't seem to care. He had gotten used to it.

The eerie wails of the phantoms echoed through the collapsed remains of the man's village, but the sounds faded away as he made his way down some steps into a dark, cold and large room. This was one of the few places that had remained intact after the incident.

This was the room where everyone was killed.

The thief made his way up to what looked like some kind of shrine - a stone in the ground with different slots shaped to fit specific items into them.

Suddenly, a dark aura surrounded the stone.

"Have you found a DiaDhank yet?" asked a deep, demonic voice.

"...No," the thief answered vacantly.

The voice snarled lowly. "I've been waiting for too long."

"They are rather difficult to obtain," the thief explained. "But while I was in the Capital I heard quite a few conversations about an unusual village located far from the city's outskirts. There were rumours about unusual people who live there; spellcasters. Foreigners. Summoners. Nobility. Tonight I will travel to that village and steal a DiaDhank if one can be found there. If I cannot find one then I could simply take a wand or another item that these people use. Then we'd finally be a step closer to destroying the Pharaoh's kingdom."

The demonic voice grunted. "Do not disappoint me," he commanded. "I don't want to see you here unless you have made progess."

The thief smirked ever so slightly. "I won't disappoint you," he guaranteed.

 _..._

 _El-Isfet, Egypt, over 5,000 years ago_

Night had fallen. Nefertari was sleeping, as was everyone else in the village.

All except for the four protectors.

Haku, Kubui, Kekku and Servus were all on patrol duty once again, refreshed from their slumber. Servus was deliberately patrolling the area close to Haku's spot; either he was there or he was lingering near the village's warning bell.

Kekku just wandered around, looking eager to fight someone if they approached him. He was loitering in the shadows, making sure that he wasn't even seen by the bright moon; his pale skin would probably reflect any light source and make him look obvious.

Kubui was the one making sure to cover the areas nobody else covered. He was also keeping his distance, but he didn't look at all cautious. He hummed quietly to himself as he strolled through the streets, probably not even focused on looking out for intruders.

Haku was mostly patrolling the outskirts of the village. Since he was the one using the bow and arrow he could shoot people dead before they even entered El-Isfet, but at the moment he hadn't spotted anybody.

Perhaps he wasn't a great lookout; either that or their newest intruder was just really good at keeping out of sight.

Servus heard a shuffle and quickly turned his head. Nobody was there.

Kekku felt a gush of wind brush past him as if somebody had ran by. Nobody was there.

Kubui saw a shadow move in in the corner of his eye, causing him to turn his head swiftly. Nobody was there.

Servus remained completely cautious, stepping warily towards the alarm bell. Something must have been there.

Kekku looked around and went down various pathways. Something must have been there.

Kubui squinted his eyes and walked forwards, wandering in the direction the shadow vanished down. Something must have been there.

Servus thought he heard something and turned his head quickly, but there was nothing.

Kubui thought he heard something and turned his head quickly, but there was nothing.

Kekku thought he heard something and turned his head quickly.

He saw a man.

"Halt!" he shouted, running after the man in the shenti. Since the village was silent his yell could be heard by both Servus and Kubui. Immediately they ran to find their friend.

There was an intruder.

The man did not intend to listen to Kekku as he ran straight for the palace. He had to get inside; that was obviously where most of the treasure was kept, and something such as a DiaDhank or wand must have been present there.

Servus was well aware of the situation now and returned to his favourite spot - where the alarm bell was - and desperately rang the bell to alert the villagers. Was this man alone or were there others? Was this man armed? Nobody could be certain yet.

People started to wake up and the thief knew this. He grit his teeth and considered turning and running away while he could, but he had to get something. He couldn't leave this place empty-handed.

The palace was just ahead...

...No, he had to turn and run for now. He had to get these people off his back.

So he ran...

But then a sharp pain suddenly stung his leg.

At first he tried to ignore it, but as soon as the thief placed down his foot he ended up stumbling over and collapsing. He let out a yell of pain, grabbing his leg as he snarled, curling up into himself.

His hands were wet and gloopy. The thief looked down and realized that he was bleeding. Badly.

An arrow had gone straight through his leg.

Haku appraoched the man and grabbed him, hoisting him up angrily. He met the thief's eyes and simply glared silently, waiting for his comrades to come over and see the situation.

"You caught him," Kekku noted. "Well done; wish I could've done it myself, though."

"It looks like he's working alone," Kubui acknowledged. "I haven't seen anyone else."

"Me neither..." Servus muttered shyly.

"Let's bring him to the queen," Kekku grinned. "I hope she let's me cut his throat, heh heh!"

"Easy now, Kekku," Kubui eased. "You'd be worse than him if you did that."

The thief glowered at everyone before him before looking down at his feet. He was forced to walk along with the four men to the palace itself, where he would meet the so-called "queen" in person. _Great._

Kiro and Akuma stepped out of the palace together, frowning as the man was shoved forward by Kekku. This man was the intruder, and he did not look sorry for his actions.

"Vile cur," spat Riko. "Bend your knee and show some respect for the queen!"

The thief kept his head down, ignoring the girl's demand. She looked greatly offended, but before she could speak Kekku forced him onto his knees. The grey-haired man showed barely any emotional response to the action, his eyes still focused on the ground.

And from the palace, she stepped out. Nefertari, the Queen of Outcasts.

"I see we have a late night guest," the woman remarked as she stepped closer to the thief. He almost seemed to tense up, but not enough for it to be noticed.

As expected, the man in the shenti gave no response. The queen frowned slightly but remained calm, bending down while still towering over the accused thief.

"It seems that you're not a very talkative man," she noted. "Not to worry, I've made fools like you talk before; we have our ways in this village."

"He had tried to enter your palace," spoke Haku. "Once we spotted him he made an attempt to flee, but I was able to slow him down by shooting him in the leg with an arrow."

Nefertari raised her eyebrow and looked, nodding her head once she saw the bleeding wound on the side of the thief's thigh.

"I can see that," she stated, her eyes never leaving the man before her. "Take him to the dungeons and make sure he's chained up in a securely locked cell; I will deal with him tomorrow."

With that, Nefertari and everyone else in the village retired to get back to sleep. The four men forced the thief into the palace and took him down to the dungeons, chaining him to the wall and locking him in the cell. They hadn't even bothered to treat his bleeding leg, clearly wanting him to suffer as much as possible.

The thief sat on the floor of his cell, his expression vacant. He wasn't going to sleep well tonight.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	13. Chapter XIII

**~Chapter XIII~**

Morning had come and the sun was shining down over the village of El-Isfet. It was a beautiful day for everyone to enjoy.

Except for one person.

The thief lay half-awake in his cell, still slumped against the wall with chains around his wrists. He faced away from the cell's entrance, his glazed eyes staring at the small, barred window. His wound still hurt too much for him to move his leg, but the blood seemed to have stopped flowing.

He could hear footsteps, instantly causing his eyes to narrow. Someone was coming and he already suspected who it could be. That woman. The woman the others were referring to as their "queen". She was no queen; the queen of Egypt had died a long time ago, and currently Pharaoh Aknamkanon was the one sitting on the throne in the capital city.

And, as the thief expected, Nefertari was the one to appear on the opposite side of the bars, her strong expression not leaving her face as she focused on the grey-haired man.

The first thing Nefertari decided to comment on was the untreated injury.

"I see that the others didn't have the decency to treat your wound," she noted, unlocking the cell door and pulling it open with a loud 'creak'. "Then again I expected them to kill you, not spare you."

The young man rolled his head to the side so that his blank yet intimidating stare met that of the queen's confident and fearless gaze. He said nothing.

Nefertari pulled the door shut behind her and stepped over to the thief, staring down at him in a subduing manner. His eyes had followed her almost as if there was an invisible string between them and the blue-haired female.

"So then," Nefertari began. "What brings you, a lone bandit, to my village?"

The thief still said nothing. He clenched his fists, giving the woman a murderous glare which could kill if such power existed. His lack of cooperation caused the queen to frown, so she kneeled down in front of him and had her purple eyes meet his.

"What is your purpose?" she interrogated quietly but with a hint of edge to her voice. "Are you an extreme Capital guard? No... you weren't armed when you were caught. You're hardly even a raider; you're just a thief. A lowly thief. A fool."

The young male scowled, baring his teeth slightly as he attempted to lunge at the woman, but his chains were too short and his leg was still deeply wounded.

Nefertari tilted her head to the side; she could see that this man definitely had a chip on his shoulder. While he looked like the kind of guy to avoid at night due to the scar upon his face, there was something in his eyes which suggested that he was... different. The young woman had encountered many raiders and criminals recently, some alone and others in groups, and almost every one of them had a look of greed. If not greed then they were afraid. But this man... he was almost empty. He was defensive. He didn't have the confidence of other thieves or the cowardly demeanor of the less violent ones, instead he had put up some kind of defense.

Nonetheless, Nefertari wasn't going to feel sympathy for him just yet. She wanted to find out why he had come here.

So, albeit with some reluctance, she arose back up to her full height and brought her shod foot down onto his wounded leg. Hard. The thief clutched his chains and attempted to surpress his yell of pain, but he couldn't contain it when Nefertari twisted her foot as if she was squishing a bug. The young man wailed in pain and thrashed here and there, trying to pull away from this woman.

Nefertari pulled her foot away before kneeling back down again. The thief was panting in a shaky way, his head down and his hair hanging in a way which shielded his face. The blue-haired lady cupped his chin and lifted his head so that he was facing her, her face mere inches away from his.

"You don't want to die here," she told him. "I can tell. You may not be begging for mercy but you don't have that meek look of someone who has a death wish, either. So tell me why you're here."

Again, no response came from the man. He just stared right through Nefertari. The woman let out a quiet sigh, letting go of the thief's face as she returned to standing upright.

"Well, if you're not going to answer me, then I may as well kill you," she concluded, reaching for a dagger attached to her thigh. While her dress was long she had cut the side of it so that she could get to the dagger easily.

The thief growled quietly but hatefully. She was right about the fact that he didn't want to die; he wanted to live to see the Pharaoh's kingdom fall.

While he despised cooperating with people who looked down on him he knew that he had no other option right now, so he decided to give this woman what she wanted... for now.

"There were people in the Capital talking about this place," he told her, his voice raspy. "The village of outcasts, El-Isfet. From what I heard it sounded like this place had some interesting treasures which I wanted to get my hands on."

Nefertari halted her hand and pulled it away from her dagger, staring down at the man suspiciously. "What for...?" she asked slowly.

"I thought that I could find something useful," the thief replied, "like a good weapon. A wand. A DiaDhank."

The queen did not seem fond of where this was going; while he didn't appear greedy, so far it sounded like this man was a power-hungry criminal.

"Why would a lone thief want a weapon?" she questioned. For a very brief moment the man flashed a weak but unsettling grin.

"Let's just say that I'm not overly fond of the Pharaoh," he responded.

"So you want to kill him?" Nefertari assumed.

The thief's frown returned to his face. "I'm guessing that if I say "yes" you will kill me," he grumbled.

"...No," Nefertari answered. The thief king raised his eyebrow curiously, giving her an inquisitive look.

"No?" he repeated.

"I'm not loyal to the Pharaoh," Nefertari explained. "That's why this village exists, thief. We don't want anything to do with the Capital and we all go by our own rules, but at the same time we don't want to start a war. Not only would El-Isfet stand no chance against the Pharaoh's army but also I'm not particularly a bloodthirsty person."

"This is coming from the woman who just declared that she was going to kill me?" the king of thieves frowned, not amused by her contradictory statement.

"I don't _enjoy_ killing," Nefertari clarified. "It's not something I want to do. But what choice do I have when people like you come running through my village with bad intentions?"

"Tch," the thief hissed, looking to the side. Nefertari kneeled down in front of him again, her expression mildly softer than it was before.

"Listen," she began. "I will not help you if you plan to do something to the Pharaoh, but I'm not going to get in your way, either. I will let you live since you didn't come here armed, but you must never return. I won't be as merciful if you dare to return. My people are not criminals and we want nothing to do with you. Is that clear?"

He still needed a DiaDhank. And he was going to get one.

The thief turned his head away as Nefertari freed him from his chains; she knew that there was a reason behind him hating the Pharaoh so perhaps she did feel somewhat sorry for him, but that changed when the grey-haired man suddenly clutched her throat tightly with both hands. Nefertari let out a choke and a gargle as she tried to breathe, clawing at the man's hands. The thief merely gave her his usual dark stare, but a cold stabbing pain to the side suddenly reminded him that this woman still had her dagger.

Once again the man let out a yell of agony. He tried to keep his grip on Nefertari's throat but he could feel her twisting that dagger. It hurt so much. He had to make it stop. The thief let go of her throat and grabbed her hand with both of his, trying to pull the knife away. Nefertari rubbed her throat with her free hand before kicking the man to the ground. He fell on his side and curled up, writhing in pain.

He was bleeding out. He could just tell. He couldn't die. Not now. The theif rolled onto his front and clawed his way to the cell door despite all of the pain he was in.

Nefertari, having regained her breath, saw that the man was suffering. It was his own fault, but she wasn't going to let him die. There was something about this man that she wanted to figure out; he was different. He was alone. He was filled with hatred for the Pharaoh no doubt for a personal reason, and if he died...

His cause would be forgotten.

The thief stared at the bars, grabbing onto them weakly as he tried to maintain consciousness. But he couldn't. Everything faded to black; death was surely overwhelming him...

 _..._

During the afternoon hours the four men had woken up. Currently they were sat together in the village's inn, drinking together and eating along with Kiro and Akuma.

"I wonder what the queen's gonna do with that bandit," Haku wondered.

"Interrogate and kill him, probably," Kekku guessed, shrugging his shoulders as he munched on a chicken leg.

Akuma shook her head. "Nefertari isn't like that," she said to him. "She has let quite a few prisoners free in the past, and when she kills people she tends to get emotional. She does it for our sake, not for fun."

"Is that another reason why she needed help keeping this village safe?" Haku asked curiously.

Akuma nodded. "People started to realize that she was actually very forgiving," she revealed. "While she is strong and powerful she mostly lets her prisoners go, or if she sees potential she will accept them into this village. Many criminals are outcasts themselves. Isn't that right, Kubui?"

Kubui almost choked on his drink, putting it down on the table and raising his hands defensively. "I'm not evil if I steal with charm," he defended. Akuma chuckled.

"Something tells me that Nefertari's gonna give this thief a chance," Kiro muttered quietly. "He's an odd fellow. Maybe he's just like the rest of us: an outcast."

"Maybe," Haku replied, taking a sip from his drink.

"Or maybe he's just an overly-confident jerk," Kekku shrugged before sipping his own drink.

"Eh, will find out soon enough," Kiro finalised, gulping down her beverage.

 _..._

Was he dead?

...No, it didn't seem like it.

The young thief could feel himself regaining consciousness. He tried to sit himself up but winced painfully. He had almost forgotten about his wounds...

But when he looked he saw that he was left only in his black kilt, having been stripped of his shenti. His torso was wrapped in soft linen, as was his thigh...

His wounds had been treated.

Still in pain, the thief forced himself to sit upright on his cell's small wooden bed. He rubbed his head, trying to gather his thoughts, before noticing a wooden tray on the floor. It contained two bowls - one of fruit and one of bread - and a cup of water.

Had this been left by the queen?

Probably. But the thief king had to admit, he was starving. So he pushed himself up and limped over to the tray, sitting down by eat and digging in to his miniature feast.

Beyond the window of his cell he could hear voices. While he still had a large chunk of bread in his mouth the thief king dragged himself painfully to his cell's window. He could see that damn queen not too far away. She was talking to... a man. A man he recognized to be one of the high priests appointed to protect Pharaoh Aknamkanon's son. What was his name?

...Seto. That was it.

The purple-eyed man frowned hatefully. What was he doing here? What was he discussing with Nefertari? He decided to listen in.

"No, Seto," Nefertari growled. "Nobody in this village is responsible for the crimes happening in your city. You know that we are not criminals."

"Hmph," Seto reacted as if he doubted Nefertari's words. "Many will disagree. Very well, if nobody from this village was responsible for the fire at the inn then can you tell me if you have seen a man with a scar upon his face? That is the man we are after."

Nefertari's eyes widened a little, the thief king reacting in the same way. That woman was going to turn him in for sure...

"Man with a scar...?" the aqua-haired queen asked slowly.

"Yes," Seto grumbled in response. "He has light hair and a scar upon his cheek."

Nefertari paused before giving her answer. "I've never seen such a man."

The thief looked confused. Why was she saying that? Was she honestly trying to protect him? That woman barely knew him...

It almost made him sick.

Seto looked suspicious. "He has committed other crimes in the past," he told Nefertari. "The people refer to him as the "Thief King". Have you truly never heard of the man?"

"Never," Nefertari replied. "We don't hear much in this village, you know."

"I see," Seto growled. "Let's go, men; this wretch isn't worth anymore of our time."

The High Priest definitely seemed to share the same dark side as the other nobles; he was only a hero to those in the Capital, but in other places he treated the different people like they were nothing but scum.

While Nefertari's feeble attempt of kindness was sickening, watching a High Priest refer to someone as a "wretch" was worse. It reminded him of just how disgusting the people of the Capital were...

Nefertari seemed to be heading back to the palace now, so the thief king sat back on the floor slowly to finish eating his food.

It wasn't long until he heard the young queen approaching his cell, and as she appeared into view he finished the last drop of his water.

The blue-haired girl seemed surprised to see him up, her head tilting to the side. "You're awake," she noticed.

"Tch," spat the thief. "You expected me to sleep forever, did you?"

"No," Nefertari replied. "I just expected you to be asleep for a while longer. Some people have slept for days with wounds like yours."

"Well, I'm not like other people," the thief clarified irritably, staggering up to his feet.

"What makes you so special?" Nefertari queried, her hand against the bars. "Are you blessed by the gods or something? You just seem like an ordinary man." Save for the intimidating scar, of course, but Nefertari didn't want to flatter the rude-mannered thief.

Oh, her sarcasm almost made him chuckle. Almost.

"I'm just not weak," he simply said as an answer. There was actually more to it than that, but this woman didn't deserve to know.

"Hmph," Nefertari huffed. There was a brief silence before the thief scowled angrily.

"So why are you here?" he demanded. "Do you expect me to thank you for healing me?"

"No," Nefertari answered blatantly. "Your manners are appalling, so I don't expect anything from you but spiteful comments."

"It's good to see that someone finally understands me," the thief commented sarcastically. Nefertari then reached forwards and unlocked his cell once again, heaving the door open. But instead of coming into his cell she stepped to the side.

"...What?" the thief reacted defensively. "What are you doing?"

"You're free to go," Nefertari revealed.

...Seriously? This was a piece of cake.

"...Come again?" the thief requested. Did he really just hear that right?

"You're free," Nefertari repeated, not looking at him. "I have no need to hold you prisoner."

Cautiously the young man limped out of the cell, stopping just by the queen. She wasn't looking at him. For some reason this felt weird...

Even so, the man started limping down the cold corridor.

"Wait, thief," Nefertari called out to him, causing him to stop and look back at her before she continued. "I wouldn't go to the Capital if I were you."

"Let me guess, I'm a wanted criminal?" the thief king guessed. Nefertari turned to look at him with wide eyes before she frowned, not appearing very amused. The man simply smirked before saying, "I heard your little conversation with that High Priest."

"You're welcome," was all Nefertari said. Her tone was even more sarcastic than the thief's. Her response actually made him groan and turn away. He started to limp, but the pain really was unbearable when he walked. At first he thought he could handle himself considering the fact that he had been wounded plenty of times before, but the pain only got worse as he climbed the steps to leave the dungeon.

It took minutes to get up the stone staircase, and once he was at the top he had to pause and take a breath. Breathing actually hurt now that he had just strained his stab wound. Despite the agony the young thief continued to hobble through the palace and outside, but once his feet touched the sand he collapsed to his knees before flopping onto his front. These wounds were worse than he thought...

Nefertari stepped out of the palace, standing just behind him. The thief had caught sight of her, gritting his teeth.

"I don't need your help," he rasped.

"I didn't come to help you," Nefertari corrected, holding up his beige robe. "You forgot this."

The thief glanced back before snarling angrily to himself, forcing himself to sit up. The young woman gently placed the shenti in front of him as he sat their stropping. At first she just thought about how immature and irritating this young man was, but she understood that he was in pain because of her and her guards. It was mostly his fault, but understandably he was still mad at her for giving him those injuries.

"Do you have a home to go back to?" she asked out of interest. "You'll die in the desert in the state you're in; I can take you back to whichever village you hail from."

The man scowled. "No, I can get there myself!" he snapped, grabbing his shenti and clumsily getting back up on his feet. He almost fell down again, only to be caught by the queen. The thief glowered and shoved her back.

"Don't touch me!" he barked. He tried to march away but fell down once again. He let out a yell of both pain and anger.

"Maybe you should just stay in this village until you recover from your injuries," Nefertari thought out loud.

"You're the one who gave me these injuries!" the thief roared.

Nefertari frowned, looking seriously unamused. "You intruded my village and attempted to steal from me," she reminded him. "Not to mention you tried to strangle me to death; I have the marks to prove it."

True. Her throat was still red from when he had tried to strangle her a few hours ago.

The man didn't want to admit defeat. He didn't want to stay here, not with these insane people. But it was either that or die out in the desert on the way back to Kul Elna.

Nefertari gently took a hold of his arm and helped him up onto his feet. He grimaced in pain and glared at her dangerously.

"I told you not to touch me..." he hissed.

"You looked stupid lying on the floor like that," Nefertari said honestly. Her comment only infuriated the thief, but she took on a more serious expression.

"Thief King," she addressed. "How about I propose an offer to you? If you stay in this village to recover from your wounds then I will give you my DiaDhank."

Her DiaDhank? Was this some kind of trick?

...No. The offer seemed genuine. Was this woman honestly that pathetic?

"...I thought you said you didn't want to help my cause," the thief reminded.

"Believe me, thief, I don't want to support your quest," Nefertari admitted. "But I know that out there, in your current state, you will not survive. The Pharaoh's soldiers are after you, and with your injuries you'd collapse and die in the desert before you can reach the next village."

"Hmph," snarled the thief king. "Fine. I'll stay. But the moment I'm well enough to leave... I want that DiaDhank."

"You have my word, thief," Nefertari assured, smiling.

The man grit his teeth before turning away. "Akefia," he muttered.

"Hm?" responded the queen, her head cocking to the side.

"My name is Akefia," the thief king revealed. "I expect you to call me by my name, woman."

"Akefia..." Nefertari repeated to herself quietly. "Very well, Akefia. You may address me as Nefertari. I already know that you don't intend to address me as queen."

"Well, why should I?" Akefia scoffed. "You're just a village leader. Even the High Priest looked down at you as if you were a beggar."

Nefertari shook her head. "A man like you could never understand a village like El-Isfet," she stated.

Akefia narrowed his eyes. "And what is that supposed to mean?" he growled.

"You're a man who lives by his own rules," Nefertari examined. "You are your own leader. Is that not why they call you the Thief King?"

"They call me the Thief King because I'm good at stealing things," Akefia corrected.

"You're not that good," Nefertari mumbled, earning a death glare from the thief.

"Tch," he spat. "This is going to be a painful time for me, staying here with you..." He began limping back into the palace.

"Where are you going?" Nefertari asked him, finding it difficult to not laugh.

"Back to my cell," Akefia answered. Nefertari chuckled slightly behind her hand; something told her that he really wasn't a bad person. There was just something about him that made him act like the entire world was his enemy. Sooner or later she'd find out what.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	14. Chapter XIV

**~Chapter XIV~**

"Wait, she's letting that thief live here?" Kiro asked, having almost spat out the water she was drinking as she walked beside Akuma.

"Yes," Akuma answered, though she didn't sound too pleased, either. "I hope he doesn't cause anymore trouble; apparently he already strangled the queen."

"He strangled her?!" gasped Kiro. "She should have him killed!"

"Nefertari has only killed people if they threaten her or the village," Akuma recalled. "While the thief wasn't armed or part of a group, he certainly has threatened the queen's life..."

"I hope Nefertari knows what she's doing," Kiro muttered, sounding worried. "If she's not careful, that man could kill her..."

 _..._

He was going to _kill_ that woman.

How dare she treat him like this. As soon as he was well he was going to take her DiaDhank and destroy this village. Everyone here was crazy.

...Perhaps planning to destroy the village was a little too far.

...No. No, it wasn't.

He now had two wounds which were going to take a while to heal. He wouldn't have been injured if these people hadn't attacked him.

Then again, he was the one who came here.

But he wasn't even armed! And it was against the law for them to threaten his life!

...Well, he did try killing Nefertari as well. And he had committed other crimes in the past such as theft. Grave robbery was actually one of the worst crimes out there, and he had looted multiple tombs.

 _It was all so frustrating._

What kind of situation was this?

The young man growled as he folded his arms, glaring out of the small barred window of his cell. He had to figure out what was going on, so he took a deep breath and breathed out to calm himself.

Last night he was snooping around this village, intending to steal some of the queen's treasure to help him gain progress. He was spotted and shot through the leg by one of the guards before he was locked away in this cell. The next day he was briefly interrogated by the queen and was threatened with death before he gave the woman a few answers. She then released him from his restraints but he attacked her, leading to him being stabbed in the side. He fell unconscious, but the queen treated his wounds and said he was free to leave. She then made a deal with him when seeing just what state he was in: if he stayed in the village to heal then she would give him her DiaDhank. Either that or he'd walk out into the desert to essentially kill himself in the scorching heat.

...Damn it all.

Nefertari was actually being nice to him. But why? He couldn't understand it; nobody was kind to a thief. Not even other thieves were kind to them. Yet this village leader, an outcast to the rest of society, had pretty much forgiven him for trying to steal from her.

Akefia couldn't tell if the woman was weak or if he was just a fool.

It looked like the sun was setting, so the king of thieves decided to lie down and get some rest for now. Tomorrow he was going to get his head around this.

 _..._

In the early morning hours Akefia had decided to bathe in the Nile. He took some extra linen cloth so that he could redress his wounds; the man placed the cloth beside the river as he sat himself down, dipping his feet into the water. It was cool. Not freezing, but cool enough to be refreshing. Slowly the thief slid himself into the water, wincing when his wounds went under.

He stood there for a moment, adjusting to the temperature and letting the stinging sensations slowly subside. Once he was used to it he sat himself down in the water even more, closing his eyes as he brought up his hands and washed his face.

The atmosphere was actually rather peaceful. It was silent aside from the gentle splashing sound of the river water. The sun was only just rising and not a single person or animal was in sight.

Having spent most of his life alone Akefia found solitude to be quite enjoyable. When he wasn't alone he was often in a bad situation; usually he was fighting or running from soldiers or citizens. Not once had he been caught. Well, except for the other night.

Deciding that he had bathed himself for long enough, Akefia pulled himself out of the river and flopped onto the sand. He rolled onto his back and caught his breath for a moment before sitting up, unravelling the cloth from his thigh. The wound was still bad and was far from being fully healed, but it had become slightly more bearable - more bearable compared to the wound to his side.

So the young man started to tightly wrap the linen cloth around the wound, his expression vacant as his thoughts wandered elsewhere. It didn't take long for him to finish treating the injury, so now he moved on to doing the same with his stab wound. Akefia even let out a low growling sound as he grimaced in pain, forcing himself to continue wrapping the bandage around his waist.

Once he was done Akefia stared down the river to see just how long it flowed for. He considered following it to get away from the village while he still could, but remembered the deal Nefertari had made. The DiaDhank... he had to have it. He couldn't leave without it, but if he tried to steal it he would no doubt get caught.

Shaking off his current thoughts, Akefia forced himself to stand. He was hunched at first but stretched his back despite the pain it caused him; he had to get used to these injuries. He couldn't appear weak. Never. Not to anyone.

For now, the young thief decided to return to his cell. But as he walked down the steps he heard a voice. The voice of that damn queen.

"You're up early," she said, standing just behind him in the main palace hallway. Although she could not see his face she could tell he was scowling.

"Must you observe my every move?" the man reacted angrily.

"If I don't want to find your hands clasped around my neck again then yes," Nefertari responded simply, stepping closer to the thief. Akefia turned and marched back up the stairs and made sure to get right in her face.

"If you leave me alone then I won't try to murder you," he stated, his expression softening ever so slightly. "You have my word."

Nefertari didn't seem too pleased with his attitude but at the same time she expected him to respond in such a way.

"I hope you're telling the truth," was all she said in response. "But I'm still going to bring you food and water so you don't starve to death."

"Good," Akefia spat, turning on his heel and marching back down the stairs, making sure to hide any evidence of the pain he felt. Nefertari watched him before walking out of the palace. It was still quite early so nobody would be up yet aside from her four protectors. So she decided to collect some water from the Nile.

The queen carried a large vase down to the river and knelt down, filling it with water. She caught sight of Akefia's blood-covered bandages further down; in a way she was impressed that he had treated himself, but she couldn't help but be a little irritated at his lack of tidiness.

Nefertari lifted the vase and began carrying it back to the palace, only to cross paths with Kubui.

"Oh," she greeted with a smile. "Good morning, Kubui. Was tonight another peaceful night?"

Kubui bowed his head upon seeing her and smiled warmly. "Good morning to you too, my queen," he answered. "It was a very peaceful night. No trouble at all."

"That's good to hear," Nefertari replied.

"Would you like me to carry that container for you?" the young man offered, holding out his arms. "It looks awfully heavy; you shouldn't trouble yourself with carrying something like that."

The young woman let out a titter. "It's quite alright, Kubui," she assured. "I'm a tough lady; carrying this is not an issue."

"Of course," Kubui smiled, nodding to her. "After all, Akuma and Kiro have told many stories about how strong you are, and even in the Capital I heard a few rumours."

"Well, isn't it lovely to hear that I'm so popular?" Nefertari chuckled. "Do tell me the stories you have heard some time; I'd like to know what people say about my strength."

Kubui shrugged his shoulders. "Some have said you're a goddess," he chuckled.

"Well, isn't that a stretch?" Nefertari reacted immediately, smiling playfully. "Anyway, I should take this back to the palace. Goodbye for now!"

Kubui waved as she wandered back to her palace. "Bye," he called out quietly.

 _..._

Later on during the day, the sun now up high in the sky, Akuma wandered through the streets of the Capital wearing a cloak to keep a low profile. Many people who lived in El-Isfet were allowed to enter the city, though some decided not to because of the trouble their presence would cause. Nefertari herself was forbidden from entering the Capital at all and was only allowed in when she had arranged business with the Pharaoh, but she had to be watched by guards at all times.

The blonde young woman was strolling through the market place, intending to buy some food for herself - some goods were only exclusive to the Capital.

Her face wasn't well known to the common people of the city, only the people who were higher up or the people who knew her in the past, so she wasn't trying too hard to hide herself. She smiled at the people running the stalls and even had short conversations with the odd individual until eventually she stopped by a stall selling fresh fruit.

"Good day, my lady," the stall owner greeted, smiling kindly. "See anything you fancy?"

Akuma smiled as she eyed the food. "Oh, it all looks so good," she responded. "I just can't decide..." The young female had to examine the food and hum to herself thoughtfully before responding with: "I think I'll buy to bunches of grapes and two oranges."

"That'll be sixty silver pieces," the stall owner told her.

"Sixty?" Akuma gasped. She didn't have enough and knew the sacrifice she had to make. "Alright, I'll just take the grapes..."

"Alright, that's twenty silver pieces," the stall owner re-calculated. Akuma currently had thirty silver pieces on her persons so was able to buy the two grape bunches. With that she decided to leave the stall with her goods, catching someone speaking just behind her to the same stall owner:

"Two oranges please."

At first Akuma thought nothing of the words, but her thoughts soon changed when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. A man in a cloak with his hood up to hide his face held out his hands. He was holding two oranges.

"These are for you, madame," he said in a soft tone of voice.

Akuma seemed surprised shakily taken the oranges from the stranger and staring at them in awe. "Why... thank you..." she gasped slowly. "I-I don't know what to say, good sir..."

"You don't need to say anything," the man assured, bowing his head to her. "Good day, madame." And with that he walked away. Akuma couldn't help but stare at him. Just who was this man? Why was he being so generous? Wearing a cloak like that made him seem more like a beggar...

The young woman decided to discreetly follow the strange man after placing the oranges into her satchel, seeing where he was wandering off to.

Akuma had to blend in with any crowd she could, not wanting to be caught by the man as she followed him. It felt like forever until the man wandered away from the main city, heading up to the palace. This confused Akuma but she couldn't stand in the open anymore, shrugging off the thoughts quickly so that she could focus on hiding behind a small building. The cloaked man turned around, making sure that nobody was following him, before removing his hood and entering the palace courtyard. Akuma peeped her head around the side of the building to see if she could identify the individual, and upon seeing the unique hairstyle she immediately realised who it was.

It was the Pharaoh's son, Prince Atem.

 _..._

Kiro sat in the centre of El-Isfet, revising the hieroglyphic symbols. As a commoner she was unable to read very well, therefore she had to practice when she had the time.

"Sis!" she heard Akuma call out. The black-haired girl turned around to face the older female whom she referred to as her sister, seeing her as she ran towards her almost excitably.

"What's up?" Kiro asked. It had been a while since Akuma was this excited - usually Kiro was the one to be energetic.

"You'll never believe what just happened to me!" Akuma exclaimed. Kiro let out a sigh.

"What happened?" she asked in an unamused tone of voice. She didn't think anything too amazing could be the source of Akuma's excitement.

"I was out shopping in the Capital's market and I couldn't afford these oranges so a stranger bought them for me," Akuma explained without even breathing. "But he wasn't just any stranger! It was Prince Atem, Aknamkanon's son!"

At first Kiro's brown eyes widened with surprise before she frowned. "Pfft," she reacted. "Don't be ridiculous, sis! Members of the royal family never enter the city unless something seriously requires their attention."

"I'm not kidding, Kiro!" Akuma almost pouted, putting her hands on her hips. "It was Atem! He was wearing a cloak, but then he returned to the palace and took it off! Come on, you know that Prince Atem has a very unique look to him which nobody could successfully replicate!"

While she wasn't totally convinced, Kiro looked at Akuma with a serious look before cocking her eyebrow. "Why would he buy some oranges for you?" she questioned.

"I'm not sure," Akuma admitted. "But don't you get it?! A-Atem... He's the future for us! Aknamkanon and Nefertari haven't got the best relationship as leaders, but Atem could be different! He has a true heart of kindness, and maybe he could bring peace to Egypt! The people of El-Isfet may finally be accepted!"

"Akuma, you're babbling," Kiro uttered in a bored tone, causing the blonde girl to fall silent. The other female then let out a sigh before standing up. "Listen, we shouldn't get our hopes up. Even if Atem did buy you some oranges or whatever it doesn't mean he's going to bring peace to Egypt; if he knew you hailed from El-Isfet he probably would've stormed off. One small act of kindness doesn't mean that he's going to be any different from his father."

Akuma seemed somewhat saddened. Never before had she heard of stories about Aknamkanon wandering the streets aiding the poor, but she had just experienced it with Atem first-hand. But perhaps her sister had a point. At the moment he was just a teenage prince; he could easily turn into somebody else when he sat himself upon the throne.

 _..._

Nefertari walked down the narrow dungeon corridor and approached the cell at the very end, carrying a tray of food and water with both hands. The door was closed as Akefia had shut himself inside in an attempt to hide away from everybody. The village's queen didn't seem too surprised by this as she managed to pull the door open with one hand, stepping inside. Akefia was currently laying on his bed, facing the cold cell wall. He barely acknowledged her presence, curling up slightly upon hearing her enter.

The blue-haired woman placed the food onto the floor beside him. "Here," she announced. "Your food."

Akefia didn't respond at all, seemingly waiting for her to leave. Quietly Nefertari let out a sighand turned on her heel, about to exit the cell before stopping herself.

"...You know..." she began slowly before looking back at the young male. "Many of the people here are a little like you. They were outcasts of society, many going as far as to commit crimes. They were unable to work for a decent amount of money and not many people were willing to accept them, labeling them as delinquents or bad omens. When that happens... they tell themselves that there's no point in trying to be better than that. What's the point in making people like you? It won't make up for the verbal abuse or the physical attacks." The queen's purple eyes became half-lidded as she thought deeply. "This village... I founded it. I was able to see the pattern nobody else seemed to notice; hatred only breeds more hatred. Every ruler created a strict set of rules which not everybody was able to stick to, and the moment somebody didn't meet every standard they were shunned. Exiled. Punished. Killed. I couldn't stand it anymore... I knew that only I had the power to do something."

That last sentence made Akefia somewhat curious but he refused to show it, instead waiting for the young woman to finish her little monologue so that he could get up and eat his food without her there.

Nefertari glanced at the young thief one last time as she concluded her small speech. "You can ask me about anyone in this village. I know how every single person ended up being here. I know what they did to upset the population of the Capital city. I know why they are not welcome in the Capital. I know why some of them are even wanted due to breaking the law; here is their only safe haven. The one person I don't understand... is you."

There was a brief pause for a moment before Nefertari finished with: "I doubt I'll ever get to know you, Akefia, and you will never get to know me. You will never get to know anyone in this village, but I just want you to know that none of us have had it easy."

With that said, Nefertari made her leave. Once hearing her footsteps fade away Akefia decided to finally sit himself up, stretching and wincing slightly. He slowly kneeled down on the floor and tucked into his meal. Although he didn't want to admit it to himself, the young thief was actually thinking about what Nefertari had just said. Just how did she have this village built? Why her and not a different outcast? What kind of background did that woman come from?

It wasn't on his mind for too long, but a small part of his mind was urging him to find out somehow. In the years to come he would definitely remember this place and it would probably bother him if he knew so little about it.

But for now, Akefia just wanted to eat.

 _..._

Night had once again fallen. Everyone was fast asleep, including Nefertari, Akefia, Akuma and Kiro. The only individuals still awake were, of course, Haku, Servus, Kekku and Kubui, but even they seemed a little tired right now.

But in the distance, looking over the small village, was a group of rather rough looking men. The leader and a few of the others held torches as they grinned.

"There it is," the lead man narrated. "El-Isfet, the village of outcasts."

"I heard that the so-called "queen" is one of the most beautiful women in the whole of Egypt," one man said.

"But she is also one of the most powerful," another man added.

"She's like a goddess," said a third man. "Powerful yet beautiful."

"She's only a goddess on the outside," a fourth man huffed. "On the inside she's a venomous snake, waiting to strike you down and kill you painfully."

"Whatever she is, she's a prize worth claiming," the leader grinned.

"Surely her people will question her whereabouts in the morning..." muttered a fifth man. The leader simply chortled.

"No, they won't," he disagreed, earning a confused stare from his subordinate. "There won't be any people left to wonder where she is when we're done with the place, and by sunrise El-Isfet will be nothing but a myth!"

 **~End of Chapter~**


	15. Chapter XV

**~Chapter XV~**

"See anything, Servus?" Haku asked quietly as he crossed paths with the teal-haired individual. Servus jumped slightly upon hearing his voice, turning to face him quickly as he held his torch. He let out a sigh of relief upon recognizing Haku's face before he gave his answer.

"No," he said. "Have you seen anything, Master Haku?"

Haku shook his head. "Not a thing," he assured. "And please, just call me Haku."

"Hey!" came Kekku voice as he ran to the pair.

"Shh, keep it down!" Haku hushed. "People are trying to sleep!"

"They won't be sleeping for much longer," Kekku responded. "Kubui's seen a group of people in the distance. They're on horses and they're carrying torches; they don't seem particularly friendly, either."

Haku's eyes widened. "Where's Kubui?" he asked immediately.

"He's keeping an eye on the crowd," Kekku answered.

But as he said that Kubui ran over to the trio.

"We need to ring the bell," he declared, trying his best not to look worried. "They're charging right at the village!"

Servus looked horrified but nodded his head. "I-I'll ring the bell!" he stated before scurrying away to the village centre.

"I'll get up on a rooftop," Haku planned. "I'll be able to shoot them off their horses better that way."

"Right," Kubui nodded. "Kekku, you and I will fight them street style."

The pale man grinned with glee. "Great," he reacted. It had been so long since he had fought properly, and now that the village was clearly being targeted by armed bandits it was time for him to finally fight with the intention to kill. Kekku sprinted off with Kubui towards the side of the village where the raiders were approaching from.

They heard the bell ring as they stood there ready to tackle the incoming invaders. At first both of them were ready for fight, but as the bandits came closer they realised that this may be an even tougher fight; there were only four protectors tasked with defending the village.

But then again, this was no ordinary village. They were really only there to be lookouts. When a true threat came then a lot of the villagers were able to join in with the fight - including Nefertari herself. There was a reason many referred to her as a goddess, of course.

One man towards the front of the small crowd of bandits fell off his horse as an arrow went into him. Haku had managed to already injure one, so Kekku ran forwards to finish him off.

"Wait, Kekku!" called Kubui as he watched one man prepare to run past on his horse and strike the foreigner with his blade. Kubui sprinted forwards and jumped up, latching onto the head of the horse and grabbing the bandit by the arm in order to prevent him from striking his friend. The horse reared back and shook his head, trying desperately to get rid of the partially-blind man. Kubui shoved the horse's rider onto the ground before falling down himself, proceeding to wrestle violently with his opponent as Kekku did the same with the other man.

Servus hid himself behind a building as one raider ran past on his horse, intimidating some of the villagers trying to run to safety. As he ran past the teal-haired male cracked a whip to strike the horse. The horse let out a shriek and reared back, obviously having been traumatized by whips in the past. The rider yelled, trying to gain control of his mount before he himself was whipped by Servus, who at this point was still attempting to remain hidden. This did not succeed since the man was easily able to spot him. He jumped down from his horse and raised a machete, charging towards the young male. Servus took a few steps back before quickly drawing out a knife he had kept hidden behind his back with his free hand, thrusting it forwards into his attacker's stomach. He didn't want to do this, but he had to. He had to protect El-Isfet.

Haku ran along the rooftops as the bandits stormed through the village, managing to shoot one of his barbed arrows through the back of one of the men. He watched as the raider fell from his horse, lifeless. His horse then proceeded to gallop through the village in a panic, but thankfully nobody was trampled. However, the man had dropped a torch. Haku's eyes widened and he jumped down from the building and ran over to the torch, stomping on it until it died out even if he did end up burning his foot. It was at that moment that he realised just how much of a threat these men were; they had the power to destroy the entire village.

Akuma and Kiro, having been awoken by the bell and the following chaos, stood side-by-side as they watched the raiders running in their direction. Akuma grasped a scythe as Kiro firmly held a sceptre, the two women then looking at each other.

"Ready, Kiro?" Akuma asked. Kiro grinned.

"I'm always ready," she told her before the pair looked back at the madness unfolding before their eyes.

Akuma raised her scythe and exclaimed: "Go! Fallen Harpie!" Her weapon glowed and from it came a burst of light as another woman seemed to appear, floating in the sky with black feathered wings for arms. Her hair was dark and her eyes were a scorching red, her feet appearing to be grey talons. This was Fallen Harpie, the manifestation of Akuma's inner evil. Her Ka.

Kiro raised her sceptre and yelled: "Go! Darklord Temptress!" Her sceptre's green jewel emitted and bright gleen flash and, like with Akuma, another woman appeared floating in the sky. This woman, unlike Fallen Harpie, was dark-skinned with large, bat-like wings. She wore a little more armour and had black hair with a hint of dark purple. She had regular arms and feet, unlike the other creature, and her eyes were scarlet with black slits instead of pupils. This was Darklord Temptress. Kiro's Ka.

Akuma's Harpie swooped down and snatched one man from his horse, flying through the air with him as he screamed before being thrown back down to the ground, crashing into another man riding a horse. Kiro's Temptress flew down and pulled out two black whips, striking both of the men injured by the Harpie.

"M-Monsters!" cried out one of the bandits who witnessed the event, finding himself being suddenly eyed by the Harpie and the Temptress as if he were fresh meat.

Akefia had also awoken amidst the chaos, looking to see what was going on. A group of bandits had arrived and attacked the village, and while many villagers were fleeing and screaming it seemed like the men were being fought off. But that was until he saw a building go up in flames.

Kiro and Akuma were both aware of the fire, their eyes widening.

"Fallen Harpie! Get some water!" Akuma commanded. "Find any container you can and collect water from the Nile! Put out any flames you see!"

The Fallen Harpie screeched and did as her master commanded, swooping down and grasping an open barrel. She then took off and flew towards the river.

"Darklord Temptress!" Kiro called out. "Don't let them burn anything with their torches! Put their fire out!"

The Darklord Temptress immediately flew at one of the raiders, barging down the horse he was riding and snatching the torch. She stubbed it out in the sand before proceeding to engage in battle with the bandit.

Akefia's eyes were wide as he paced slowly through the village. Those creatures... they were no ordinary people. They were monsters. They were the Ka of Kiro and Akuma, yet they weren't even wearing DiaDhanks. No, instead they both seemed to have a signature weapon which contained their Ka - how did they gain such bizarre tools?

As the thief hobbled through the village he heard a familiar voice yelling out in anger somewhere behind him. He turned around, only to see Nefertari pulling her spear out of somebody's body before swinging it at another bandit who tried to attack her.

On her wrist was a DiaDhank.

If Akefia killed her now he could just get away and leave this place to burn; he had no reason to protect the very people who had imprisoned him.

The young man looked down at his feet and saw a machete which had been dropped by one of the men from when they were either wounded or killed. Slowly he crouched down and firmly clasped his hand around the handle, his expression vacant aside from his wide eyes. _He was going to do it._

Nobody would be able to see - the woman was out of view from everyone else. So he began to slowly move towards her, taking every step slowly and cautiously.

Nefertari panted tiredly, three bodies now surrounding her. She then caught sight of Akefia, spotting him in the corner of her eye. The young queen stood straight and turned to face him as he approached, his vacant expression seeing through her as if she wasn't even there.

Akefia watched as the woman suddenly pointed her spear in his direction, eyes wide with focus. She was prepared to rush forwards, but worry was evident in her eyes. Clearly she could see that Akefia was now a threat. One that could overpower her.

And then she charged. Akefia raised his machete and prepared to move aside at the last second so that he could fatally slash the woman, but as he moved he realised that he hadn't actually dodged anything. Fearing that she had her own tactic, Akefia felt his eyes widen. That spear was probably going to go into his back.

The sound of the spear harshly impaling flesh could be heard.

Yet no pain was felt.

Slowly Akefia turned his head, his expression filled with nothing but surprise. Nefertari had just thrust her spear into a different man. A bandit. A bandit which had been behind him with his own machete raised.

She had just saved his life.

Nefertari kicked the man to the ground and turned to look at Akefia.

"Be careful," she warned him. "You haven't healed yet. Don't let yourself die at the hands of some worm."

Before Akefia could even respond Nefertari sprinted off. He stood there, frozen for a moment, before he heard somebody running in his direction. Swiftly he turned around and slashed his machete, proceeding to fight with his new opponent despite the strain it was putting on his wounds.

"Nefertari!" Haku called out from yet another rooftop, catching the attention of the queen. "They have fire and horses and other dangerous weapons; they can easily destroy this village if we don't stop them fast enough!"

Immediately Nefertari knew what Haku wanted her to do. "Fear not, Haku!" she shouted back to him. The blue-haired woman then turned on her heel and ran back towards the palace, standing not too far from Kiro and Akuma. The pair noticed her and seemed relieved.

"My queen, thank goodness..." Akuma sighed with relief. "I was just about to search for you..."

"I'm going to unleash it," Nefertari stated firmly, holding up the wrist armed with the DiaDhank as it unfolded itself. Akuma and Kiro both widened their eyes, but noth with fear.

"It's been a long time since you unleashed that!" Kiro exclaimed almost with glee.

"I know," Nefertari replied. "And I'm going to be very weak afterwards. But there are quite a lot of them - more than I suspected - and if we don't get rid of them soon then we could lose the village. The people could die."

Akuma nodded her head. "Do what you must!" she responded before watching her Fallen Harpie carefully.

Nefertari closed her eyes for a moment almost as if she was gathering her thoughts or energy. She lowered her arm for a moment before clenching both her fists, raising her arm once again as she bellowed: "I call forth my own monster! Go! Vennominaga, the Deity of Poisonous Snakes!"

A beam of golden light shot out from her DiaDhank and into the sky. A few of the bandits seemed shocked by this alone, but when they heard a reptilian roar they almost dropped their weapons.

All of a sudden this creature emerged. It looked like a purple woman with snakes for hair, her lower half being a snake's body. Instead of arms she just had two snake heads. _Angry_ snakes.

This was Vennominaga, the Deity of Poisonous Snakes. Nefertari's legendary Ka.

Vennominaga slithered through the village, wailing and hissing as her two snake-arms clamped their jaws down onto the nearest targets before violently shaking them and throwing them into the walls of nearby buildings. She was too quick for anybody to avoid as she slipped her way through El-Isfet in search of her prey, striking any threat behind her with her long tail.

Akefia couldn't believe what he was seeing. Before him was an absolute monster. No wonder this woman was feared by society and left to become an outcast, but why would her Ka be this powerful? He was currently in the process of strengthening his Ka so that he could take on even the legendary Egyptian Gods if possible, but here before him was a Ka already close to being strong enough for such a task. If he killed her and took her DiaDhank he would be able to summon that creature as well as his own Ka...

"Ha! Look, Kubui!" Kekku called after standing up from yet another squabble. "She's summoned it! She summoned Vennominaga!"

"Great!" Kubui called while still fighting another bandit. Once he had finished him and pushed his body to the floor he turned to face his foreign companion. "With Vennominaga, Fallen Harpie and Darklord Temptress we should be able to finish the rest of these guys!"

But as they said that they heard the Fallen Harpie let out a screech of defeat, catching their attention. They saw both her and the Temptress floating up in the sky before vanishing in a flash of light.

"What...?" Kubui muttered quietly to himself, confused.

"Oh no..." Kekku gasped. "Somebody's got to them! Let's go - now!"

Even though they were at the other side of the village, Kekku immediately burst into a sprint with Kubui following just behind him. Akuma and Kiro were in danger, and if they were close to Nefertari she could be next.

The leader of the bandits stood with his arm around Nefertari, holding a knife dangerously close to her throat so that she would risk cutting herself on it should she attempt to struggle. Akuma and Kiro were currently both being held down on their fronts, having been beaten almost into submission. The trio had been ambushed.

"Call off your beast or your friends get it," the lead bandit threatened. Nefertari kept her mouth shut, silently refusing to do what this man wanted. The man frowned before he looked over at his cohorts. As a response to the look they both raised their machetes, appearing ready to kill.

"Don't... do it... Nefertari...!" Kiro tried to shout. "He'll... hurt... everyone... else...!"

"Yeah...!" Akuma agreed. "You can... still... save... the others...!"

Nefertari closed her eyes, not wanting to see the current state of her friends. She knew that if she called it off she would only seal the fate of the village she worked so hard to build, but she could not lose Akuma and Kiro. Not now.

Vennominaga's rampage suddenly seemed to cease. There was no sign of her.

Kiro's eyes widened as much as they could. "N... No...!" she tried to cry out.

The bandit leader grinned. "Good girl," he cooed before looking back at his associates. "Finish them and take their weapons, then tear this village down."

Nefertari's eyes widened. She had been fooled by a mere criminal.

"No!" she roared, making an attempt to escape the man's grasp by wriggling her arms loose and shoving his arms away, but it was no use for he was physically stronger than her.

But before the two other bandits could finish off the two girls they were suddenly attacked by a man on horseback. He had leaned down and struck the two men as he darted past, immediately causing them to flop to the floor and drop their weapons.

The horse ran towards Nefertari and her captor, the lead bandit pointing his knife so that he could stab the horse the moment it came too close. But he didn't expect the horse's rider to leap down from the horse and land behind him. He then found himself being sliced across the back and thrown to the side, having no choice but to let go of Nefertari as he tumbled to the ground.

"Not bad for a wounded man, if I don't say so myself," Akefia said, praising his own act as he glanced from the fallen leader to Nefertari. The young queen stared up at him in shock, not expecting such a move from him.

The thief offered his hand to her and, with much hesitation, she took it. Was this a plan? She still couldn't trust Akefia, but right now he seemed... genuinely helpful.

Akefia helped her up to her feet. "Now I can see why you're not particularly popular," he commented. "Nobody trusts anyone with a powerful Ka."

"Huh..." Nefertari reacted, still shocked that the thief king had just saved her life along with Kiro's and Akuma's. She was just staring at him, her eyes wide. The young man only stared back at her, at first appearing confused as he raised his eyebrow.

But then he seemed to smile.

His smile wasn't the most pleasant, but it was certainly an attempt at being somewhat friendly. Akefia was obviously a man too used to scowling and frowning, but now he had finally cracked a smile.

The sight made Nefertari smile slightly herself. "...Heh heh..." she laughed softly. But suddenly she let out a grunt of pain and a hoarse gasp. Akefia's smile dropped, his eyes widening as he looked down. The bandit leader had thrown his knife at her and stuck itself into the side of her abdomen.

The woman collapsed slowly, the king of thieves being quick to catch her. She was bleeding. Blood was seeping from her as if she were a punctured canteen of water. Akefia carefully lowered her to her knees, seeing that her body was just desperate to fall lifeless.

Slowly Nefertari found herself looking back up at him as she clutched his upper arms tightly. She looked terrified. A part of her almost suspected that he was the one who organized this entire attack. What if he had planned all this in order to get her DiaDhank? Had she just been killed by the man she was trying to save?

Her eyes were on Akefia's horrified face. As her vision blurred she expected to see him crack another smile. But he didn't. That was almost a relief for her as she finally fell limp in the man's arms.

Akefia was still in shock, staring down at the woman. He heard the man behind him laugh weakly as he staggered back up to his feet.

"Wasn't gonna let her get away... heh heh..." he chortled weakly. "I'm sure many will still appreciate the sight of her corpse..."

Very slowly and carefully Akefia lay Nefertari on the ground, rising back to his full height as he stood with his back to the man. He knew that he was stepping closer.

"What's the matter?..." the bandit leader asked in a weak but mocking tone of voice. "Are you a friend of hers...? More than a friend...?"

Still, Akefia did not turn around.

The leader grinned. "You may as well look at me, boy..." he continued as he held up the machete which belonged to one of his fallen comrades. "You'll join her... Your whole village will..."

Akefia remained silent and did not turn to face him.

The bandit came to a halt, ready to bring down the machete to finish the already-weak young man. "Any last words for your beloved queen...?" he queried.

He expected Akefia to remain silent once again.

But he didn't.

"Diabound," he murmured quietly. The bandit leader seemed confused, cocking his head before catching a glimpse of something golden around the thief king's wrist.

He was wearing Nefertari's DiaDhank.

Akefia blankly turned his head, his scarred face meeting the now-wary one belonging to the bandit leader.

 _"Destroy."_

Before the bandit leader could even react by striking the young male he suddenly found himself in the direct line of fire of a beam of pink light.

Immediately the man was gone.

The white creature flew down from the sky and proceeded to wreak havoc through El-Isfet, only targeting the surviving bandits. The creature seemed to be a muscular man with a snake's head replacing his lower body, four wings upon his back. While it did not appear to be too frightening, especially compared to Vennominaga, it was certainly devastating.

With a vacant expression still upon his face, Akefia lifted up Nefertari and carried her back into the palace, listening as his Diabound destroyed every remaining bandit in the village.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	16. Chapter XVI

**~Chapter XVI~**

Kekku sat up, rubbing his head painfully. What had just happened? He remembered running with Kubui in order to save Akuma and Kiro along with the queen, but he had suddenly witnessed the appearance of a new creature - a Ka which had never been seen before.

He remembered running as the creature destroyed any bandit in sight. Now he was walking through the streets, bodies lying here and there. Thankfully nobody from the village had been killed, though there were plenty of people with terrible injuries.

Had he been caught by one of the new creature's attacks? While it had only been targeting the invaders it certainly wasn't being too careful... The purple-robed man decided that this was the case as he dragged one corpse by the legs in order to help clear the street.

Servus hadn't found himself in the same situation as Kekku seeing that he was able to take cover easily. Currently he was staring down at one of the deceased bandits, a brand scar to the arm catching his attention. Branding was a sign of punishment to show that the marked individual could never truly be free, sometimes being used on slaves.

"You people might not have been too different to us," the dark boy murmured to himself as Haku walked up behind him, wrapping his arm around his friend. Servus flinched but was quick to realise that it was only Haku, his expression returning to being solemn.

"They chose to be bad," the intellectual young man explained. "They could have been just like us. They could have proved to the world that they were not bad. But they decided to be the villains they were viewed as and they were proud of it; there's no point in feeling bad for them now."

"...Hm," Servus responded quietly, his lime green eyes still on the dead man before him. He couldn't help but feel bad for him; it was just in his nature to sympathize with others.

Haku then pulled away from the boy and lifted up the corpse. "You should go and help the injured," he said to him. "Kiro and Akuma are among them..."

Servus looked horrified but then relaxed himself, nodding his head. "Alright," he answered quietly. He swiftly turned and sprinted to the safe house where the injured were currently being led to and treated.

Haku was not as physically strong as people like Kekku or Kubui. He was used to writing, not shifting heavy weight. The young man could not help it as he let out a weary sigh.

Tonight was going to be a long night.

 _..._

Morning came. The sun shone down on El-Isfet, revealing the now-clean streets. Everything seemed to be back to normal.

Her eyes began to open, the world before her merely being a blur. What happened last night again?

She could barely remember.

...Wait.

Was she dead?

The blue-haired queen painfully sat herself up, staring down at her body. She had found herself lying on her bed wearing nothing but a long beige skirt with a short strapless cloth being wrapped around her chest. The young woman caught sight of a linen bandage wrapped around her abdomen with a blood stain on it.

Then she remembered.

She had been terribly wounded.

The atmosphere was silent around her so she figured that currently she was by herself, but obviously somebody had tended to her injury while she was unconscious. Somebody had saved her.

Beside her on her wooden bedside table was a hot cup of what smelled like herbal tea. It was still steaming so it hadn't been there for too long.

Nefertari reached for the beverage and held it in both hands, softly blowing on it before taking a sip. It remained hot but it was still good, the smell being rather pleasing to her nose.

"You're awake," came a familiar masculine voice. Nefertari was close to being startled but was too tired to react in such a way. Her violet eyes darted about the room until her eyes locked onto Akefia, who had been sitting in the corner of her room on a wooden stool.

"...I didn't see you there," the woman calmly responded despite the fact that she was still relatively cautious of this man.

"I'm a thief, I'm never easy to spot," Akefia huffed as he stood himself up, making his way over to the female. He could see that she was still very wary of him, and he didn't blame her.

"...So what happened?" Nefertari decided to query as Akefia stopped beside the bed. He prolonged the silence before giving his response, looking away to the side.

"You fell unconscious," he answered. "But the village was saved. Nobody was killed and your friends tended to the wounded."

"Including me, it seems..." Nefertari muttered as she glanced back at her bandaged injury. The scar-faced man frowned slightly as he stared down at her with that blank expression once again.

"No," he corrected. "I treated your wound."

The young queen stared up at him in surprise. "...You?" she asked, wanting clarification.

"Yes," Akefia replied.

For a moment Nefertari was unsure of what to say, but quickly decided to look to the side and simply respond with: "Thank you."

Akefia raised his eyebrow before clenching his fists and looking down to the side. "Tch," he said in response.

Nefertari took another sip from her tea before sitting herself up a little more. "Did you also make this tea?" she questioned. Akefia merely glanced at her for a brief second and looked away again before giving his answer.

"Yes," he muttered.

The queen looked at the tea before taking yet another sip, then smiling weakly up at the man. "It's... It's very good."

Once again Akefia stared at her, his blank expression becoming a little more emotive, surprise being the emotion he was trying to show. His gaze only met with Nefertari's soft smile, but the young thief quickly turned away completely.

There was another pause as the queen sipped from the cup, and after that she broke the silence with quite a risky question. "Why didn't you try to kill me?"

He felt like he should have been surprised, but he wasn't. He saw just how afraid Nefertari looked before she passed out. She had suspected that he was with the attackers, he could just tell.

The thief didn't turn to face her as he answered the question. "Why should I kill you?"

Nefertari was a little amazed at the response. He had previously tried to kill her, so why was he now questioning doing so?

"...You could've escaped while everyone was fighting off the raiders," the young queen explained, looking to the side almost nervously. "You could have taken my DiaDhank..."

"Hmph," Akefia huffed to himself. "Are you saying that you wanted me to kill you?"

Nefertari's eyes widened. "N-No..." she stuttered. "I just... I suppose I thought you were truly evil at heart. You had tried to kill me before and... you definitely seemed to despise me..."

Akefia's hands balled into firm first, his nails digging into his skin before he eased himself. "...I'm not evil at heart," he confessed quietly. "At least, I don't view myself as evil." He looked over his shoulder to blankly stare back at the purple-eyed woman. "Tell me. How would you define evil?"

Again this was an unexpected question so Nefertari had to quickly think of a response. "Um..." she began. "Well... I see evil as the embodiment of hatred and ignorance... selfishness... greed... All of those can lead to devastation."

"I do not believe in the concept of evil," Akefia admitted, causing Nefertari to fall completely silent and stare at him with shock.

The man turned around to finally face her again, that empty look never once leaving his face. "Evil is just a word used to describe an opposite. Someone not doing what another person says is "right" will be viewed as evil, but in order to be good all you need to do is the "right" thing."

He had a point. Evil was an opinion. Who was the one to originally come up with the idea of good and evil? Who had said that killing was bad and saving lives was good? Nefertari could only assume that it was the gods; the gods gave the people of Egypt the power of Ba and Ka, with the Ka growing in strength depending on the amount of evil in one's heart. But some people had powerful Ka even when they were not the least bit evil, so what was the true meaning of the word?

While on the topic Akefia decided to ask another question regarding Nefertari and the idea of evil.

"Your Ka," he began. "It's very powerful. How is that so?"

Nefertari almost felt her heart sink. Normally when people asked her about her Ka they were afraid, believing her to be a wicked enchantress of some sort. In the past as her Ka grew she was only viewed as more and more...

Evil.

"...I'm not certain," the young lady mumbled, looking down at her tea as she took another sip from it. Akefia gave her a look; he could tell she was lying.

"You are," he corrected. "I can tell you know how it grew to be so powerful. Many people have powerful Ka when they are hateful. Angry. Damaged. Hurt."

Slowly Nefertari stared up at him. He knew exactly what he was talking about. Not many people actually understood Ka, especially petty criminals. Yet Akefia knew exactly what made them stronger.

The thief could see the surprised and curious look in her eyes. His eyes softened slightly and he sat himself on the bed beside her, feeling a little too tired to stay standing.

"I know everything about Ka," Akefia explained. "I know about dark magic. I know about many things most criminals are unaware of." His dark and vacant eyes locked onto Nefertari's visage. "So what is the reason for yours being so powerful?"

Nefertari had to take another sip of her tea, this one being rather long before she let out a sigh. "My Ka became so powerful because of my hatred," she revealed. "I hated the Capital and to this day I still hold a grudge as much as I try to deny it."

Interesting.

The thief seemed inquisitive. "Why?" he asked her. "Why would you hate the Capital?"

She was about to answer but then she stopped herself and stared at the man. He had changed so suddenly; previously he didn't want to know a single thing about her, nor did he want to tell her who he was, but now... now it looked as if all of that was about to change.

Akefia frowned. "I'm asking you a question," he reminded her.

"Oh," Nefertari reacted, snapping out of her thoughts. "Right. Well..." The young queen seemed hesitant, staring at her warm beverage yet again.

The young man knew what was wrong. Nefertari was a woman many viewed as powerful, but deep down she had a weakness. She used her power to shield the real woman behind that strong facade. She feared that opening up would reveal a weakness, and she did not want to ever be seen as weak.

So the man looked away. "You don't need to tell me," he decided to say. "I was merely curious."

Nefertari stared at him for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

"You'll only mock me if I tell you," she murmured. "You're only interested in exposing my weakness, aren't you...? You want me to tell you just so you can use it against me..."

"I honestly do not care," Akefia confessed. "Emotional torment never has been my overall preference. I simply want to know because I am highly curious."

He seemed genuine. Nefertari could see that he wasn't exactly desperate to know but he was still intrigued, so she took a final sip from her tea and placed the cup on the bedside table, sitting herself up a little more so that she was comfortable and ready to talk.

"Akefia," she began, taking her time to speak. "I was born... in the Capital. My father was one of the High Priests..."

Akefia instantly narrowed his eyes, hatred burning inside him although he hid it behind his emotionless gaze. "So you're a priestess by birthright," he assumed.

"I should be..." Nefertari responded. "My father wanted me to be just like him. I spent a lot of time in the palace getting to know the other nobles, including Prince Atem. But my father wanted me to marry another boy close to my age - a fellow High Priest's son, Mahad. I thought to myself that having my life choices made for me by my father was unfair, so... I refused."

Akefia was still frowning slightly. But he contained his inner frustration and waited for the girl to continue.

"My father was furious, as were the other priests. They wanted to remain traditional, but I wanted to break the tradition. I did not want to be a priestess. I wanted to be an ordinary woman like my own mother who had married her husband out of love. At the time I didn't believe that my refusal was too serious, but the other priests were mortified. They only despised me more when I would go to the dungeons and speak with the criminals; they believed I was evil. They believed a monster was controlling me, so they performed something called a "Millennium Trial" which even my father took part in. The monster that came out of me was a mere snake; it was sealed in one of the stone tablets, but the process of removing it had almost killed me."

While still containing his inner hatred Akefia raised his eyebrow. "A Millennium Trial?" he queried. He knew of the Millennium Items and, judging by the name of the procedure, he could only guess that a Millennium Trial was related to the usage of said items.

"It's... a peculiar process," Nefertari described. "Each priest uses their Millennium Item to draw out and seal the Ka of a criminal potentially being controlled."

"How interesting," Akefia commented thoughtfully to himself. The more he knew about the Millennium Items the better.

Nefertari shrugged her shoulders, not seeming too comfortable with the topic since she vividly remembered just how painful such a trial was for a young girl.

"That trial... was where the hatred came from," she continued. "I slowly began to hate the Capital. I hated seeing criminals punished when they were barely even criminals. I hated seeing the treatment of slaves. I hated seeing just how cruel the people of the Capital were to foreigners and those who were not as fortunate. And I certainly hated the fact that the priests saw me as evil because I refused to marry Mahad."

The young queen took a breath before continuing. "I began to rebel even more. I would use my authority as a noble daughter to free slaves and threaten their masters, or I would even find ways to free some of the prisoners in the dungeon. After being caught doing such things the priests and the Pharaoh decided that it was best to exile me. I was marched through the village with spears pointed at me and people throwing rocks in my direction. They all wanted me to die out there in the desert, and I honestly thought that I was going to, but my hate for them grew so much. I did not want them to win. I did not want them to know that they killed me. My Ka had grown so strong over the years so it was able to break free from the tablet it had previously been sealed within, and using it I was able to construct this village." Her eyes narrowed slightly yet thoughtfully. "Many of the people I saved back in the Capital had decided to follow me and join me. There were not many of us at first, but the village grew. My followers agreed that I should rule them. They wanted El-Isfet to be independent and so did I. I had to be strong for them in order to prevent this place from being destroyed by bandits, and so my Ka only grew stronger."

The young queen looked down at her hands which she held on her lap. "I suppose that is the story of how my Ka became so powerful," she concluded. "My hate for the Capital and my determination to become better than them created Vennominaga. Protecting my village and aspiring to somehow change society created Vennominaga. But, in the words of the High Priests, my evil ways created Vennominaga."

Akefia stared at her, uncertain of how to feel. He felt somewhat disappointed since he had expected the queen to have suffered more. He couldn't help but feel hateful since the woman hadn't truly suffered compared to him; she came from the court of High Priests. Yet he could understand where her hatred came from.

The thief eventually turned and faced away from the queen, not having much to say. He was about to let his thoughts wander before Nefertari spoke up.

"Akefia..." she began. "Why do you hate the Pharaoh? Why do you hate the Capital so much that you want to destroy it?"

His eyes almost widened as he turned his head to face her once again. Did he really need to answer that question?

"The power which strengthened my Ka mostly comes from my hatred for the Capital," the young woman continued. "I hated the Capital because of how they turned me away for trying to do what I thought was right. So what makes you so hateful?"

Akefia stared at her before frowning and looking away, not wanting her to see his face as he spoke. "I do not hail from the Capital," he admitted. "So just assume that my past is different to yours."

The statement made Nefertari appear extremely thoughtful, her head tilting to the side. Obviously he hadn't suffered in the Capital at the hands of the people in a way like Nefertari did...

In the past there were battles. Egypt was at war, although Nefertari could barely remember what was happening at the time due to being so young. She remembered that the High Priest Aknadin created the seven Millennium Items so that the enemy could be defeated, but at the time Egypt was in chaos. The enemy was incredibly close to the Capital; had they destroyed other villages while on the way to the city? Had the Capital resorted to using desperate measures in order to defeat the enemy? The law must have been broken during those war times - Nefertari was certain that Akefia came from a background involving the chaotic war period.

Akefia was about to stand so that he could leave Nefertari with those thoughts but only felt something firmly grip his wrist. He sharply turned his head only to see that the queen of outcasts was currently grasping onto him. His instinct told him to pull away. No... something else told him to pull away. But he didn't. Instead his expression softened as he stared at the young queen.

Nefertari's eyes were wide as if she was afraid of her own action or afraid of the man before her. Compared to her usual image of being strong and confident this sight was definitely a surprise. So Akefia let out a sigh and sat back down.

"Let me guess: you're afraid of being alone," he guessed.

"No," Nefertari replied. "No, I just... I'd prefer for you... to stay a while."

As usual Akefia simply raised his eyebrow in response. "Why?" he decided to ask her.

Nefertari felt herself blush and look away. "...I'm scared," she confessed.

The response actually made Akefia feel quite tense as he stood himself back up, gritting his teeth as he scowled at her.

"You have a Ka more powerful than any I've seen before," he pointed out. "Your life has been somewhat secure despite your troubles. You are surrounded by people who would give their lives for you, and here you are claiming to be scared?" The man actually grabbed her by the face and made her face him, startling the woman greatly. Fire was burning behind his dark purple eyes. "You are a loved and feared woman, Nefertari. You are currently living in your own palace. You are a leader with nobody else in charge of you, not even the Pharaoh. _What do you have to fear_?!"

"I'm scared of losing you!" Nefertari shouted suddenly. Akefia fell silent and let go of her, his eyes really wide and his expression showing much more emotion. Scared of losing him? Why?

The queen was trembling, staring at her clenched fists with tears in her eyes. "I'm scared... of losing you..." she repeated. "I know that you are going to leave here soon... You're recovering remarkably well from your wounds... and... I know that you still plan to attack the Capital... but..." The young leader tightly shut her eyes in a final attempt to restrain her tears. "You'll only get yourself killed, Akefia. Do you understand that? Not even my DiaDhank will be enough to protect you. There are six High Priests and the Pharaoh, not to mention apprentices and countless guards. They will kill you, Akefia."

Akefia couldn't help but correct her in his mind. Her DiaDhank was not going to be his only weapon. He had _other_ powers...

Nonetheless, he once again softened his expression. "...Why would you care?" he chose to ask. Nefertari stared at him almost as if silently telling him that the question was stupid before she gave her response.

"Akefia..." she wavered. "Don't you understand...?"

She was about to say something else before she heard a knock at the door. Akefia looked at the door as if it was his mortal enemy as Nefertari responded to the knock with: "Come in..."

Haku stepped into the room, bowing his head slightly. "My queen," he greeted. "It's wonderful to see that you're awake..." He looked as if he was going to question Akefia's presence but he decided against it. "...The village has been cleared and the wounded have been treated. But Kekku and Kubui have found a survivor."

Nefertari attempted to sit herself up even more but grimaced in pain. "Survivor...?" she queried.

"Yes," Haku nodded. "One of the bandits from last night's attack. Should I give them the order to kill him?"

The queen glanced at Akefia and met eyes with him for a moment before looking back at Haku. "No," she commanded. "Tell them to leave him in the dungeons. Once I recover I will deal with him myself.

Haku nodded his head. "Of course, my queen," he replied. He was still staring at Akefia with a suspicious and cautious gaze as he left the room.

Akefia watched him leave before looking back at Nefertari. "I have a neighbour now, hm?" he said to her. That was his attempt at being... funny.

The young queen almost chuckled but instead smiled ever so slightly, her mind quickly being reminded of Akefia's living situation.

"Ah, you still sleep in the dungeons, don't you?" she asked him, earning a single nod. She chuckled quietly. "I suppose I can trust you enough to let you sleep here in the palace itself.

Really? Such an offer had never been made to the thief before. Would she seriously let him live in the palace? Perhaps he should remain "injured" for a while longer - he had been living in his own village of Kul Elna for far too long, living in the remains and living with... an unpleasant force.

"...You trust me to reside here in the palace until I recover?" he reiterated. Nefertari smiled and nodded her head.

"You saved my life, Akefia," she reminded.

"You saved mine twice," Akefia compared, once again subtly attempting to be humourous.

"Yes but I also almost killed you the first time," Nefertari pointed out, trying not to chuckle.

"I tried to kill you twice," Akefia competed. Nefertari blinked a few times, looking confused.

"Twice?" she repeated, tilting her head.

 _Oh._ She didn't know that he was aiming to kill her during last night's fight. And it didn't take her long to figure that out.

"Akefia!" she reacted, sounding somewhat playful as she pulled his arm. The young man fell onto the bed, landing on his back and wincing in pain.

"Oi!" he snapped, wary of his wounds. He glared at Nefertari defensively but quickly loosened his facial gesture. She was smiling, appearing rather content. Why was she smiling?

He stared at her in a strange way before understanding that the queen probably expected him to think about killing her more than once. Not only that but Nefertari could now see that Akefia had moved on from thinking such hateful thoughts, so she had forgiven him. Now she was just being... playful.

The thief king frowned and looked away. He remained defensive but then heard as Nefertari tittered quietly. Maybe she was acting strangely because of her wound, but either way...

Akefia actually didn't mind it. Deep down, at least. He had spent so long building a wall to protect himself from the world, and now he had finally met someone who wasn't as terrible as a true criminal or an ignorant noble. She didn't fear him nor did she despise him, and now she was trying to be friendly. _Nobody_ had ever been friendly with him before.

He could practically hear a little voice in his mind telling him to put up his defenses again, but that voice did not belong to him. That voice belonged to someone - something - else, and for now he was going to ignore it. He was going to spend some time here in El-Isfet. He had finally found a place where he could be relatively at peace.

So he finally smiled. Again his smile wasn't perfect, appearing to look more like a smirk, but he was trying. The young thief sat himself up and locked eyes with the woman, seeing as she smiled back at him.

For the first time in his life, Akefia actually felt content and at ease.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	17. Chapter XVII

**~Chapter XVII~**

"Is the queen alright?" Servus asked Haku nervously, fearing the worst.

"She's fine," Haku answered with a nod. "She's awake now and she's definitely coping with the wound better than I could."

The man then folded his arms somewhat nervously. "But that thief was with her," he extended. "Akefia."

Servus' eyes widened with worry. "What if he tries to hurt her again?" he questioned, beginning to panic. "W-We can't let that happen..."

"She seemed okay with him being there," Haku recalled. "And... he seemed okay being there with her."

"That's peculiar..." Servus commented quietly, his finger on his chin as he looked thoughtful for a moment. "That thief... he seemed to dislike Nefertari not long ago..."

"He tried to kill her," Haku reminded.

"Hey, you two," Kiro called out, staggering over to the duo. The two young men both turned to face her, astonished that she was already up and moving.

"Kiro," Haku reacted. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"Ah, I've rested plenty," Kiro assured, waving her hand passively. "Akuma's still seizing the opportunity to get people to bring food and drinks for her, though."

Haku chuckled. "Sounds like something she'd do," he spoke. Servus couldn't help but smile slightly as well.

Kiro laughed with Haku before quickly regaining herself. "Anyway, how's the queen doing? Is she alright?"

"Yes," Haku nodded. "She's awake now, too. The thief is with her."

The brown-eyed girl lost her smile. "The thief?" she asked almost as if she was surprised to hear the information, but she was quick to ease herself. "Well, he did save the village."

Haku tilted his head. As far as he was concerned Akefia had only been fighting like the others. The village was saved by that large white creature...

"He did?" he decided to question. "How so?"

Kiro blinked and gave him a confused look. "His Ka," she explained. "He unleashed his Ka. Come on, did you not see it?"

The white creature was Akefia's Ka?

"That white creature?" Haku questioned. Kiro rolled her eyes and let out an irritated sigh.

"Yes, Haku," she answered. "The big white snake-thing which killed the rest of those bandits."

So it _was_ Akefia's Ka. Haku couldn't believe it. That man had no reason to want to save El-Isfet. Was Kiro's information correct?

"How do you know?" Haku interrogated. "How can you be certain that it was Akefia's Ka?"

"Akefia's the thief, right?" Kiro muttered, needing to be reminded. When Haku nodded his head she gave her response. "Nefertari, Akuma and I were ambushed while we were using our Ka. Nefertari was about to be taken by the leader of the bandits while Akuma and I were left to be killed, but the thief saved our lives. The bandit leader tried to kill Nefertari, but that's when the thief summoned his Ka. I saw it all with my own eyes."

With each word Haku's face only became more and more thoughtful. Servus' eyes were wide since he too did not expect the monster to belong to Akefia, but he was the one who spoke up before Haku could think of something to say in response.

"So Akefia released his Ka because the queen had been attacked," he analysed. "Does that mean he... likes her now?"

"He likes her enough to save her life," Haku agreed. "And he likes her enough to look after her while she's injured. If he was as selfish as we thought he was then he would have escaped while he had the chance."

"It's almost sweet," Servus murmured quietly.

"Pfft," Kiro responded to Servus' comment. "It's nothing special, Servus. It just means he's not a psychopath."

"Hm..." muttered Servus as he glanced down thoughtfully. Being the observant young man he was he could see that something had bothered Akefia which led him to release his Ka. Not only that, but his Ka was very powerful. How could a petty thief have such a powerful Ka?

The only answer to that question was simple: Akefia was no ordinary thief.

 _..._

Nefertari supported herself against the stone wall as she staggered down the stairs from the upper floor of the palace where her bedroom was located. Akefia followed close behind her, his head tilted to the side as he watched her with curiosity.

"Perhaps you are not well enough to be up just yet," he commented.

"Nonsense," Nefertari responded as she carefully made her way down the stairs, wincing with every step she took. "Your injuries are worse than mine."

"I only recovered quickly because I'm used to these kinds of wounds," Akefia reminded. "From what I can tell you are not physically strong enough to withstand such damage."

"I'll be alri-" The queen was cut off as she stumbled, about to fall down the stairs until her arm was grabbed. She was left to hover for a moment before Akefia pulled her back gently so that she was standing on her current step.

"You were saying?" the thief asked. Nefertari stared back at him for a moment, then looking away as she continued her descent. Akefia noticed her silence as he followed her to the bottom of the staircase, deciding to bring up a proposal.

"Nefertari," he began, catching her attention as the pair stood still. "You cannot look after this place in your current state. You cannot carry out your regular duties. What would your people do if you fell into the river while collecting water? What if you were to be attacked? Nobody would be able to save you."

The queen was still silent, her back facing the man as he continued in an almost reluctant tone of voice.

"You need assistance," he pointed out. "Your two advisors are wounded and your four protectors are busy guarding the village, so why not allow me to temporarily assist you in your duties?"

Slowly Nefertari turned her head to look back at t he scarred man. His face was serious so he must have meant what he said. Yet not long ago he was just so fed up of this village, wanting nothing more than to get away back to wherever he came from.

Where _did_ he come from, exactly?

The thief king stared at her with his signature vacant frown, waiting for her answer. He was not the most patient man in the world so Nefertari knew that letting him wait for too long would be a bad idea.

"...Very well," she agreed. "You have proved to me that you can be trusted, so I will accept your offer."

Akefia nodded his head once but firmly. "Good," he responded, the emotion in his tone difficult to read. "Then let us begin. What is the first thing you must do?"

Nefertari seemed to think for a second before glancing in the direction of the dungeons. "The bandit," she said. "I must speak with that bandit."

The blue-haired queen hobbled through the palace with Akefia following close behind, following her all the way down to the dungeons and making sure she didn't fall down any steps.

Once down there the duo approached the only locked cell, Nefertari doing her best to not appear weak or injured. She wanted to remain somewhat intimidating so that she could get answers from whoever this man was.

Within the cell sat a dark skinned man with straight black hair reaching his shoulders, though it may have reached further down his back if it was not curved at the end. The man's bangs hung over his magenta eyes slightly, though not enough hair was present to cover up the large scar going across his face. Around his neck the rather slim man wore a long beaded necklace, and as for his clothing he wore a brown shenti which covered his torso and waist, laced together with a dark brown thread.

Nefertari picked up on the fact that this man had been stripped of the rest of his clothing and items, hence why he did not look at all like a threatening bandit at the point.

Akefia narrowed his eyes at the imprisoned bandit, wary of any move he could make as Nefertari opened his cell. He had been cuffed to the wall just like Akefia had so he was hopefully not going to be much of a threat.

The man sharply turned his head, his petrifying gaze on the queen as she made her way inside. Akefia stood at the door but was ready to enter the cell if necessary.

"You're going to tell me exactly why you were here last night," the queen stated as she stood and stared down at the young man. "I won't be satisfied until I hear everything I need to know."

"Kill me," the man hissed, his voice gruff.

Nefertari raised her eyebrow and tilted her head slightly. "It seems that you've already prepared yourself for death," she observed. "That can be arranged, but you will not die until you tell me why your friends came here last night, who you are and how you survived."

"I don't need to tell you anything, lady," the bandit snapped.

"Do you like pain?" Nefertari decided to ask, earning a hard glare from the bandit before her.

"What?" he asked in a wary yet hateful tone.

"Do you like pain?" the queen repeated nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders. "If you refuse to talk then you'll be subjected to a lot of it, and believe me I will make sure that you don't die."

The bandit scowled at the woman with pure hatred, turning his head to face away from her. He wasn't going to answer that question, because either response would be foolish to give at this point.

Nefertari frowned and suddenly grabbed the man by his hair, making him look at her. "Why were you here?" she interrogated through clenched teeth. "What intentions did you and your friends have?"

The man's magenta eyes met with her purple ones as he frowned hatefully, trying not to wince with how much his hair was being tugged. He kept his mouth shut, refusing to answer even when the queen shook him slightly.

"Answer me, bandit," she demanded in a threatening yet quiet tone of voice.

Clearly not enjoying being handled so much, the bandit thrashed his body violently to shove the woman away. He was only expecting her to move slightly, but because of her injury Nefertari ended up falling onto her side. Right on the side where the wound was located.

The woman growled in pain and sat herself up, holding the side of her abdomen. The bandit watched her and realised that the queen was wounded, thinking about how he could hurt her if he wanted to defend himself. Now that she had just exposed her temporary weakness he may as well use it.

But the white-haired thief marched into the room, slamming his foot into the bandit's stomach. The young man gasped and held his breath for a moment, winded.

Akefia dropped to the floor and grab the man's head with both hands, forcing him to stare right into his eyes.

"If you don't talk for her then maybe you'll talk for me," he stated. "I'm not patient when it comes to getting what I want, and what I want is for you to answer her questions so that we can be rid of you. And if you refuse to answer her then I will personally cut you in all the places where it hurts before I start dismantling you bit by bit." The thief let go of the man's head but kept his face dangerously close. "So what will it be?"

The bandit frowned hatefully, keeping his mouth shut. Akefia glared, deep down not wanting to resort to this as he arose to his full height.

"Nefertari, I hope you're not afraid of blood," he said calmly. Nefertari's eyes widened a little as she realised what Akefia intended to do, but she was quick to return to her usual expression.

"I've seen too much of it to fear it," she responded. Akefia smirked slightly.

"Then there's no problem with you being here," he finalised as he prepared to do his worst.

 _..._

In a small house located within El-Isfet a girl sat by herself. Her eyes were bright blue and her hair was a light reddish-brown colour, tied in two ponytails which hung over her shoulders. Her skin was relatively fair, her face slightly scarred with a beauty spot located on the lower side of her left cheek. Her clothing could be described as unusual with it being a conservative brown and blue robe which didn't seem like it had ever belonged to anybody rich, a discreet headpiece topping off the look.

The girl was clutching a wand with both her hands, holding it in her lap as she sat and stared at a small fire. Her expression was rather sad, filled with worry and fear. The young female was focusing hard on whatever was on her mind until a knock at her door awakened her to the current world she was sitting in.

"Safira!" called a voice from the other side of the door. "Safira, it's me; Anku! May I come in?"

The young girl, Safira, stared at the door for a moment before answering: "Yes, you may."

In stepped a dark young man - possibly in his mid or late teens - who had short bobbed purple hair with a full fringe almost covering a golden tiara he wore, the tiara containing a single sapphire in the centre. He was wrapped in a light grey robe, heavier and definitely more conservative compared to other Egyptian outfits, which was lined with a black fabric internally. Around his neck was a brown leather collar, not dissimilar to the collar worn by Servus. He wore slippers on his feet which matched his grey and black robe.

His most unusual features were his eyes. Line with dark black make up, Anku had two large and youthful eyes with two unusual colours: his right iris was coloured black while his left was coloured bright orange.

Anku approached Safira and bowed his head, standing with his hands together.

"Safira," he began. "Have you seen them?"

Safira seemed a little reluctant to answer before turning her head, staring back at the fire. "I have," she answered. "The bandit wasn't lying."

"What could they be after?" Anku questioned, his mismatched eyes gazing at Safira as she watched the flames dance. Safira shook her head slowly.

"They want to summon their god into the world," she explained. "They want Egypt to fall at the hands of their god, and to do that they need a lot of magic."

"Apophis," Anku added, causing Safira to look back at him. "Their god is Apophis. ...I've seen them, too."

Safira stared at him for a moment before looking back at her fire once again. "We must inform the queen," she stated. "We cannot let them bring Apophis into this world."

Anku nodded his head. "I'll spread the word to Kiro and Akuma," he planned. "They are the queen's most trusted advisers."

"Wait," Safira commanded softly, standing up and turning to face the young male. "Anku, please can you tell them to spare the bandit? He's very defensive but he has seen the Desert Children with his own eyes. He can help us defeat them; we need as many people to fight them as possible."

The boy stared at her for a moment before turning on his heel. "I will do my best, Safira," he told her before leaving the home. Safira could only watch him with worry before turning back around and looking down at her small fire. It was going to be a while before the Desert Children arrived at El-Isfet, but the earlier the preparation the better.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	18. Chapter XVIII

**~Chapter XVIII~**

Akefia and Nefertari walked out of the palace together, taking a quiet stroll around the outskirts of El-Isfet as they discussed the information they had learned from their captive.

"Sounds to me like they were just another gang of bandits," Nefertari commented. "They wanted to tear this village down, take any treasures we have and take me to be sold off somewhere. I've encountered similar people in the past."

"So have I," Akefia added. Nefertari looked at him.

"Did you ever travel with people like that?" she queried. Akefia gave her a look before she added: "I won't judge you if you say yes."

The scar-faced thief looked back ahead of him as he gave his answer after a slight moment of silence. "...No."

"No?" Nefertari reacted, tilting her head. Akefia shrugged his shoulders as if it was no big deal.

"I never traveled with any group," he continued. "I've always been a lone thief."

"For how long?" Nefertari pressed, immediately feeling guilty upon seeing the sudden discomfort in Akefia's eyes. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked such a personal question."

"I doubt you'd believe me if I told you," Akefia predicted.

"Try me," Nefertari challenged.

Again, Akefia shrugged in a way that made it look as if he wasn't too bothered by his past, but Nefertari already knew that he was. The previous look of pure discomfort in his eyes said it all.

"I was five when I first became a lone thief," he finally answered. Nefertari's eyes widened.

"Five?" she gasped. "You were just a small child..."

Akefia nodded his head. "It was difficult to steal when I was so small," he noted, attempting to lighten up the topic with a few jokes. "I'd be climbing up the legs of strangers to get into their pockets."

Nefertari saw straight through the humour even though Akefia was attempting to smile awkwardly while scratching the back of his head. He stared down at the sand as he walked, visibly tense as he focused on his memories.

The queen lightly touched his arm with one hand, getting the man's attention. He stared at her, smile fading completely as he took on a defensive expression. Would she mock him for being weak? He didn't want to find out by taking any chances.

"There's no need to look at me like that," he told her, pulling his arm away. "I'm now quite well-known across Egypt, and soon enough I'll make sure everyone knows who I am!" He grinned in a way that made him look truly villainous, but the grin was once again quick to fade as he looked back down at the ground. Everyone would know his name because he was going to tear Egypt apart, but if he did that then El-Isfet would fall as well. Did he really want to do that?

"Akefia," Nefertari spoke up, getting the thief's attention once again. "You're no ordinary thief. Whenever I look at you there is this empty look in your eyes, almost like you're tired of the world or you've had enough of trying to be what you want to be. I don't expect you to tell me your life story, but if I'm ever going to get to know you..." the queen stopped walking for a moment and leaned in, eyes meeting his, "I only want to know the real you."

The thief stared at for a moment, feeling almost as though the queen had made an attack on him. He could never think about letting anyone get to know who he really is...

...Why not?

Why was he stopping himself from talking about his past? Was he ashamed of it? Was he afraid of it? No, he could talk about it openly if he wanted to. He was only stopping himself because that little voice in his head was telling him to. The little subconscious part of his mind which didn't belong to him was telling him to never get personal with anybody or else he would weaken his Ka. He would weaken his Diabound. And if that happened, he could not take on the Pharaoh and his court.

The young man let out a quiet sigh as he continued walking. "Let's just complete your duties for the day," he said to move off the topic for now. "We should go and collect water."

Nefertari was still for a moment before she followed Akefia, looking down slightly. "Right," she responded.

Not too far away from the pair Akuma and Kiro stood together, both still weary and wrapped in bandages as they supported themselves by using their respective weapons as walking sticks.

"Is it just me or do they act... _different_ when they're around each other?" Akuma asked out of curiosity as she watched the duo walking away to collect water.

"Urgh," Kiro grunted, not sounding amused in the slightest. "That thief guy hasn't left her alone since last night. He was even in her private chamber with her, according to Haku."

Akuma smiled a little. "Aw," she murmured, earning a glare from Kiro.

"What do you mean "aw"?" the girl pouted. Akuma looked at her before looking back in the direction Nefertari and Akefia walked away in.

"I think the queen... likes him," she said. Kiro almost gagged.

"Great," she grumbled sarcastically. "I mean, it's pretty obvious that she likes him; I've never seen her act so softly towards anyone like him. And even though her interest in him is obvious, along with his clinginess to her, they will both end up denying it until the last moment."

Akuma let out a quiet sigh. "You really don't have a positive view on anything, do you?" she asked. "I bet she does like that man, and perhaps he even likes her. What's so bad about that, Kiro?"

"He's a thief," Kiro reminded. "He's not going to redeem himself like the people here. He's going to leave one day and continue stealing from tombs until he is caught and punished."

"Oh, you don't know that," Akuma sighed, rolling her eyes to emphasize her disagreement with the young woman. "He saved us all last night by using his Ka. He saved our lives moments before those bandits killed us. He saved the queen's life. I don't think he's a terrible person at heart."

"Tch," Kiro huffed. "We'll see about that."

"Lady Kiro, Lady Akuma," Anku called out as he approached the two, grabbing their attention. "I must speak with you."

"Anku," Kiro greeted. "What have you been up to lately? Staring at your fire until you start hallucinating?"

Akuma gave the younger female a firm punch to the shoulder, taking the moment seriously and professionally. "It's been a while," she noted. "I can only assume you have something important to tell us."

"Very," Anku nodded. "The village is in grave danger. We are all in grave danger."

Kiro, while rubbing her upper arm to soothe it from the pain Akuma had caused, tilted her head a little and appeared confused. "How so?" she questioned. "Is what's coming worse than what we already had here?"

"Much worse," Anku confirmed. "The bandit currently being held in the dungeon told Safira about a group of individuals he encountered not long ago. The group called themselves the "Desert Children" and apparently possessed magical abilities. Safira and I were able to see this group; they want to destroy Egypt by summoning Apophis. No... they want to destroy the entire world."

At first the two women seemed horrified before Kiro chuckled. "Pffft!" she reacted. "They can't be that big of a deal!"

"Do you know when they plan to summon Apophis?" Akuma queried, ignoring Kiro's laughter.

"They plan to summon Apophis when they obtain enough magic," Anku explained. "They want to find the perfect vessel him once he has been called into the world with the magic they gain, and they want to make sure he has enough magic to keep both himself and his vessel alive."

"And where do they plan to find the magic and vessel they require?" Akuma pressed, her expression becoming cautious as she realised where Anku was going with this.

The odd-eyed man stared into Akuma's eyes with worry even though he was trying to remain calm and informative. "Here," he answered. "From El-Isfet."

 _..._

Akefia held a large vase of water, waiting for Nefertari to finish filling her own. She took a while to stand back up due to her injuries but she could definitely manage, hence why Akefia didn't move to help her.

"Let's go," the thief said. Nefertari nodded to him and began to hobble back to El-Isfet but stopped herself when seeing Kiro and Akuma approaching her.

"My queen," Akuma spoke up as she walked. "We have to speak with you. Now."

"What is it?" Nefertari responded, a look of concern on her face.

"Anku warned us of an incoming threat," Kiro explained. "He said that he and Safira have seen a group of powerful individuals known as the Desert Children. They're coming here to summon Apophis, their god."

Akefia frowned instantly.

Nefertari appeared even more concerned now. "Apophis?" she asked. "He's one of the Forbidden Gods. Who would want to summon him?"

"A bunch of maniacs," Kiro huffed.

"It is to my understanding that one of the Pharaoh's gods can destroy Apophis with ease," Nefertari muttered to herself. "I remember seeing a piece of papyrus displaying the image of one of the nameless gods destroying Apophis in his true form. Neither god has walked Egypt since that battle..."

"These Desert Children want to destroy the world," Kiro reminded, repeating what she had heard from Anku. "They don't want to wait for the return of the three nameless gods. They want to damage Egypt while it's weak before attacking other faraway lands."

"Well, I doubt these Desert Children are strong enough without their gods," Nefertari decided. "The moment we see them coming we will destroy them all." A slight look of sadness was on the woman's face. "I cannot risk the safety of my people by showing mercy to our future attackers."

"Anku said they were magic users," Akuma recalled, hesitating before she continued. "Oh, and... the bandit you have in your dungeon encountered them. He is the one who initially told Safira. ...She actually requested that you spare him. She believes that he'll talk..."

"He won't," Akefia cut in blatantly. "We tried getting him to talk. He talked about his group and their motivations but that was all."

"Perhaps Safira can get him to talk to her," Akuma hoped. "He already told her about the Desert Children, but before he could go into detail Kekku found him and took him away."

Nefertari looked at Akuma for a moment before coming up with her decision. "Safira can speak with him while he is in his cell," she decided. "Then she can tell us what he says about the Desert Children. I want to know just how strong they are."

"They might not even be that strong," Kiro added, shrugging her shoulders. "I mean, we wiped out those bandits last night before they could do any major damage." Her brown eyes were on Akefia and she saw him tense up slightly. "If everyone with the ability to unleash their Ka helps defend the village then we should be fine. Especially if you help us, thief."

"It's Akefia," Akuma whispered.

"Akefia," Kiro corrected.

Nefertari tilted her head and looked at Akefia, seeing just how tense he had become. He looked greatly uncomfortable when Kiro had addressed him and she had no idea why. But she quickly looked back at her adviser.

"You believe Akefia can help?" she queried. "Why do you sound so... certain?"

Kiro gave Nefertari an odd look. "Didn't you see his Ka?" she asked.

His Ka? No. She had not seen his Ka.

"I did not," Nefertari answered.

"Ohhh," Kiro nodded. "Of course; you were unconscious. Akefia summoned his Ka and defeated the remaining bandits."

Nefertari stared at Akefia in shock, seeing that he was no even more tense.

"You did that?" she gasped. "Akefia... You saved the village?"

Akefia was silent for a moment before he turned his head to the side. "Yes," he replied reluctantly.

Nefertari wanted to question how but Akefia immediately started walking. "Come now," the man said. "We must bring this water back to the village."

The trio of girls watched him leave before looking back at each other.

"I should go after him," Nefertari told the other two. "I will think of a plan to deal with our future guests, as well. So far I believe that attacking them with every aggressive force we have will win the battle. Spellcasters will use every spell. Each civilian will use their Ka if I am able to grant them the ability to. Any weapon will be used: spear, bow, sword, dagger and more. Anything."

The blue-haired queen bowed her head. "You have my word that you will be protected," she assured before turning to hobble after Akefia, only to be stopped briefly by Akuma.

"Wait," she called out. Nefertari turned to face her before she continued. "It really was amazing. If you had seen his Ka... you would've thought it was one of the gods."

Nefertari stared at her for a moment before nodding her head and smiling. "I can imagine," was all she responded with before turning and walking away back to the palace.

Akefia was already inside, having put his full vase of water down. He watched as she entered and did the same, only to be confronted about his Ka. Nefertari knew that he didn't appreciate the topic judging by the look on his face, but it was worth the risk.

"They said your Ka saved them," she recalled. "That it was incredibly powerful. How so?"

The thief king turned and faced away, tensing up once again. "It does not concern you," he muttered.

"You made me tell you about mine," Nefertari reminded, instantly leaving the scar-faced man stumped. "I told you everything about Vennominaga and why she became so powerful. Why is it that I must tell you about my past while you keep yours a secret?"

She had a point. Akefia's eyes glazed over as he clenched his fists, teeth bared in frustration for a moment before his gaze became completely empty. His emptiness is what shielded his weakness. His pain. His sorrow.

So he made his decision.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you anything," he muttered under his breath, turning around before Nefertari could respond as he continued, "so that's why I'm going to show you everything."

Nefertari stared at him, completely confused. The man turned around and began to walk down to his cell, which he still hadn't officially moved out of.

"Prepare a horse; you and I are going on a little journey," he said as he made his way towards the dungeons to fetch his beige shenti - it had been a while since he had worn it over that black kilt of his.

Still Nefertari seemed confused but did as she was told. She left the palace and went to the nearest stable, preparing a horse to be ridden. Where was Akefia going to take her?

To his home?

 **~End of Chapter~**


	19. Chapter XIX

**~Chapter XIX~**

Akefia finished tying his shenti together as he approached Nefertari, seeing that she was stood with a horse. She looked at him with slight concern.

"Will we be gone for long?" she asked him as he drew closer. "I shouldn't leave the village; those Desert Children may attack while I am away..."

"They won't," Akefia told her. "I know enough about the Desert Children, and I can assure you that it will be a long time before they arrive at your village."

Nefertari stared at him, again surprised that he had more knowledge than any other typical thief. She knew that she could trust him so nodded her head, believing in his words.

"My queen," Kekku called out as he approached the pair. "Are you going somewhere?"

The blue-haired woman turned to face him. "Kekku," she greeted. "I will not be gone for too long, but until I return do let Kiro and Akuma know that they are in charge."

With a confused expression Kekku simply nodded his head. "I will do," he assured her. Nefertari smiled at him as Akefia climbed up onto the horse.

"Take care of yourself," Nefertari said to him before climbing up after Akefia, holding onto the man as he spurred the horse and galloped towards their destination.

 _..._

Safira made her way into the dungeon, nervously walking down the small passageway until she reached the only locked cell. In that cell was the bandit she rescued after the chaos last night.

"...Akuto," the girl called softly to get the man's attention. The young man, Akuto, sharply turned his head and faced the cell's entrance with a look of pure defense. Safira's eyes widened when she saw how injured he was. It looked as if the queen had already tortured him.

Akuto remained with a scowl for a few seconds before his expression softened ever so slightly. "You," he responded to her in a gruff and strained tone of voice. He could see Safira's look of horror at sadness, knowing that she was disgusted at the sight of his injuries.

"She hurt you..." Safira whimpered, sounding incredibly guilty. "I... I didn't expect her to be so brutal..."

The bandit grunted. "It wasn't really her..." he growled. "It was the guy she was with..."

Safira tilted her head. Since she wasn't a close friend of the queen she wasn't fully up-to-date with the situation between her and Akefia. But she had a vague idea of who Akefia was and why he was accompanying Nefertari after his intrusion.

"Oh..." the spellcaster muttered sadly, glancing down at her feet. "Akefia... The King of Thieves... From what I know he is a brutal man indeed... but at the same time the queen seems to have a soft spot for him..."

"Your queen is a fool," Akuto spat, earning a shocked gaze from Safira which he simply didn't acknowledge.

"She's no fool..." Safira responded hesitantly. "She'll be able to defeat them..."

"Even if Apophis is summoned?" Akuto queried, his magenta eyes locking onto Safira darkly. Safira could only stare at him before looking away.

"...If they manage to summon Apophis... then Egypt is doomed..." she muttered quietly before turning back to face the prisoner. "But I believe in my queen. She is strong, and she will be able to defeat those Desert Children you told me about. We'll all beat them together."

Akuto simply shook his head, facing away from the spellcaster. "I've met people like your queen," he stated. "I grew up in the Capital. People who are powerful end up making stupid choices. Some people had to become worse and worse so that they could strengthen their Ka. Either your queen will strengthen her Ka by doing something incredibly terrible or she will soften and grow weak."

Safira slowly stepped closer to the bars of the cell, her eyes wide. "Our queen would never do anything to hurt us..." she stated quietly. "She uses her power well. She will not do something terrible and she will not become weak."

"Hmph," Akuto huffed to himself, still not facing the girl. "If that man with her is the real Thief King then she's already made a terrible mistake. He is a hateful man who only cares about himself. I've heard all the stories..."

The spellcaster let out a quiet sigh. "Akefia is indeed a mysterious man," she commented. "But he protected our village when you and your bandits attacked. He saved all of our lives."

"Tch," Akuto hissed. "So that big white thing was his, huh? I'll make him pay for killing my group..."

Safira scowled slightly. "I'm sorry, Akuto, but if you try to harm Akefia or anyone else in this village then I will not save your life a second time," she told him as firmly as she could before softening slightly. "I want you to have a second chance. I want you to live because I can sense some goodness in you, but if you let your own hatred take over then you will be killed."

Akuto glared at her for a moment before facing away once more. "What am I supposed to do if I want to live?" he asked slowly. "Bow down to that queen of yours? Do you expect me to help you when the Desert Children get here?"

"...No," Safira answered quietly. "I don't expect you to help us or bow to Nefertari... but... if you can tell her about your encounter with the Desert Children and prove to her that you will no longer attack anybody here then you will be allowed to live peacefully..."

For a moment Akuto seemed intrigued before shifting slightly so that he was in a more comfortable sitting position, even if he was still wounded. He didn't give any response to Safira's comment, hearing the girl eventually let out a saddened sigh. She bid him a quiet farewell before exiting the dungeon, leaving the bandit to spend some time thinking by himself.

 _..._

 _Kul Elna, Egypt, over 5,000 years ago_

"Why did we need to leave the horse so far away?" Nefertari asked as she trailed behind Akefia.

"Because at least if we leave it back there we know where to find it," Akefia answered simply. "If we took it to my village then it would only run away."

Nefertari raised her eyebrow curiously. "Why?" she asked him, almost not believing the statement. Akefia took some time to answer her.

"My village might not be the kind of village you are picturing in your mind," he explained. Before Nefertari could question what he had said she saw him come to a halt, staring down into a valley. The woman in the black dress looked over his shoulder to see what he was looking at, her purple eyes widening in horror.

At first the village just looked like a typical small and quiet place, but upon closer inspection Nefertari could see that most of the buildings were derelict or deliberately damaged. Not a single person or animal was in sight.

Akefia stared down at the village in silence before proceeding to walk down into the valley. Nefertari quickly followed him, keeping her mouth shut. What was she supposed to say? Was she supposed to ask him something about this place?

Thankfully it was Akefia who spoke up during the walk towards the village, but Nefertari's feeling of relief quickly became pure sorrow when hearing what he had to say.

"This is Kul Elna," he told her, a completely empty expression on his face as he kept his eyes on the cluster of broken buildings. "Fourteen years ago it was attacked. Ever since then it has been in ruins. The spirits of those who died still linger, waiting for the day they get their revenge."

Nefertari was silent for a moment as they drew closer to the village, letting there be a pause before she spoke up.

"How will the spirits get their revenge...?" she questioned quietly. Akefia didn't answer as he entered the eerie remains of Kul Elna. Nefertari looked around almost fearfully as she heard the sound haunting moans growing louder and louder.

A spirit flew past her. She gasped, glancing around the ruins frantically. Akefia came to a halt and just stood there, causing Nefertari to become concerned.

"Akefia?" she asked, reaching out hesitantly to nudge him. She froze upon seeing a horde of skeletal ghouls flying throughout the village, some gazing at her with eyes of burning hatred. They soon appeared hostile as their moans and howls grew even louder, some ghosts even letting out wails and screeches.

Standing as close as she could to Akefia, Nefertari kept her eyes on the spirits. They were circling the living pair and looked ready to attack, but eventually they began to slowly drift away. They were leaving both her and Akefia alone.

"...You asked me how they will get their revenge," Akefia recalled, his sudden speech making Nefertari jump. The man turned his head to gaze back at her with those dead eyes of his. "They will get their revenge through me."

Nefertari stared at Akefia, their eyes locked in place before the thief turned around and continued walking towards what would have been the village centre. The queen of El-Isfet followed behind him but quickly chose to finally walk by his side. He didn't look at her at all. Not until they reached the centre of Kul Elna. Again Nefertari seemed confused and almost concerned until Akefia turned around completely so that he was facing her.

"Nefertari," he began, his voice void of emotion. "Do you trust me?"

Her eyes widened a little. Why was he asking her such a question? And now, of all times? She was so confused, but the fact that she was hesitating made Akefia almost seem hurt. Almost.

"...Yes," the woman answered, nodding her head. "I do trust you, Akefia." She wanted to see where this was going.

Akefia slowly rolled up the sleeve of his shenti, revealing that he was wearing her DiaDhank. The very item he had been after from the beginning. Was he planning to kill her here? Was this just some derelict place where nobody would find her body?

The thief turned and held out his arm. "Diabound!" he yelled. "Emerge!"

From somewhere within the village Nefertari heard some kind of roar. She felt a small and brief tremor before suddenly a white beast flew up into the sky. The creature stared down at her from where it hovered before it lowered itself down to the duo.

Akefia turned and looked at Nefertari, watching her as she stared up at his Ka with wide eyes. He stepped closer to her, immediately catching her attention.

"This is my Ka," he told her calmly. "This is what I unleashed on those bandits. This is what the lost souls of this village created for me. This is what I will avenge them with."

Nefertari glanced back up at the intimidating beast before finally focusing on Akefia. She wasn't completely convinced that she was safe but she was definitely feeling less and less afraid.

"Akefia..." she spoke softly. "What... What happened to this place...? What happened to you...?"

Akefia's fists clenched for a moment as he stared at the ground hatefully, but this is what he had come here for. He had come here to tell her the truth.

The king of thieves managed to calm himself, easing his tension as he turned to face away and stare at one of the many destroyed buildings.

"I was five when I committed my first theft," he repeated, reminding Nefertari of what he had already told her previously. "I was five..."

Akefia let out a sigh as he finally mustered up the courage to tell Nefertari what really happened to him to turn him into the man he was today.

"This is where I was born," he began. "My parents were... different. Everyone here was. They were outlaws. Criminals. Thieves. My parents were both bandits, but my mother had to look after me and give up assisting my father in his raids. She found a hobby in brewing tea and would sometimes let me help her do that."

Nefertari recalled Akefia's herbal tea he had made for her when she was injured. She silently noted that as a recipe his mother had taught him.

"Kul Elna was by no means a dangerous place to live, but indeed the streets could be rough every now and again," Akefia continued. "We were all tough there. I would simply play with the other children during the day and return to my home. That's exactly what I did on... the last day..."

He had paused for a moment before he once again brought himself to continue, his vacant voice becoming slightly more emotive as if he was trying to bottle up his sorrow.

"Night had fallen and we were all asleep, but my mother woke me up and rushed me out of the house. She took me by the hand and ran through pure chaos. Men with spears were herding us like cattle towards the centre of the village and down some steps. My hand slipped out of my mother's grasp and I lost her. I heard her calling for me but I could not see her. I spotted my father being forced to walk by another spear-wielding man, so I ran towards him. Out of nowhere another man came after me and tried to grab me so I had to run and hide. I don't know how long I hid for; all I know is that I waited until it was quiet. That's when I finally came out and looked around.

"Nobody was around. I was... frightened. It was so dark, as well. I found myself quietly stepping down some stairs - the stairs those men wanted us to go down in the first place. I could hear voices. I could see light. I tried to stay hidden as I looked around a corner, and the sight before me was a sight one would never believe was true.

"The men were dropping the villagers one by one into a pot of molten gold. They were still alive while it happened." Akefia clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he tried to contain his anger and keep his tears from showing. "I watched them drop my father in. I watched them dropped my mother in. Everyone I knew... They were all discarded into that pot like ingredients.

"And that's exactly what they were. Ingredients." The thief turned around and stared at Nefertari almost hatefully. "The molten gold made from my people... was the very gold used to create the Millennium Items wielded by your former associates."

Nefertari stood there, her eyes wide. She had no idea what to say She knew that he wasn't lying, but the story sounded so unbelievable. Could this really be true? When High Priest Aknadin created the Millennium Items did he really slaughter an entire village?

The thief stepped closer to Nefertari, standing so close that his toes almost touched hers. "Now you know why I hate the Capital so much," he told her. "They destroyed my home, Nefertari. I was the only one who survived, and I have dedicated my life to taking back what was taken from here."

He had been trying to be somewhat intimidating, but Nefertari saw straight through his anger. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, her head on his shoulder as tears appeared in her own eyes. An expression of shock and complete horror was still on her face - a look which Akefia soon shared.

Her hold on him was tight and she felt how stiff he became in her arms, frozen. He had no idea how to react. His eyes were wide and he could feel his tears trying to fight their way out.

"I..." Nefertari wavered. "I am so... _so_ sorry..."

That was it. Hearing her tearful voice reacting in such a way... it made him let go of his image. Why must he continue appearing as though he were made of stone?

The thief slowly lifted his arms and wrapped them around her, holding onto her as tears finally started to leak from his eyes. His grip on her tightened as he almost found himself digging his nails into her back as he buried his face into her shoulder.

He sniffled. Nefertari heard him. The sound was heartbreaking. The King of Thieves, the Thief King... Here he was, softly weeping into her shoulder like an upset child.

Nobody had ever cared for him. Nobody had ever comforted him. He had to fight for his life to survive. He had always been alone, and anyone who encountered him either threatened him or feared him.

How many times would he have been beaten by the Pharaoh's guards? How many times would he have been kicked as he begged for food and water? Nefertari didn't want to even picture it.

This man was no diabolical criminal. He was not the man people thought he was. The Thief King was just a facade. On the inside he was someone else. Perhaps if he had been raised by his thieving parents he would have become a greedy bandit like the ones who attacked El-Isfet - like the one currently in the dungeon - but he grew up seeing all of the cruelties the world had to offer. He had seen what she had seen: evil acts committed by those who claimed to be the heroes. Innocent people being punished.

Akefia was not the evil one. Akefia never would be the evil one.

 _Someone else was the evil one._

 **~End of Chapter~**


	20. Chapter XX

**~Chapter XX~**

"Are you sure the queen will be safe with that guy?" Kubui queried, sounding concerned. "I know he saved us, but we barely know him... What if they never come back?"

"If the queen never comes back then we will kill Akefia if we ever see him again," Kekku clarified. "Even if he tells us that he's not responsible for her disappearance we will kill him. Without Nefertari this place is screwed."

Kubui shook his head, sipping from the cup of water he was holding. "I still can't understand your overseas dialect, Kekku," he stated, causing Kekku to huff.

"My dialect is hardly important," he pointed out. "The queen could be in danger."

"I know," Kubui responded. "I'm worried about her, but I just struggle to understand what you mean when you say things like "this place is screwed"."

"Hmph," Kekku reacted, folding his arms irritably. "Look, we're all worried about the queen. That's all I have to say to you. But mark my word, I will kill that thief if he does anything to Nefertari."

"I won't stop you," Kubui replied. "And I'll leave him to you; you are the most insane out of all of us."

Kekku gave Kubui a glare. "Was that an insult?" he growled. Kubui smiled and shrugged his shoulders, sipping his water again.

"All insults can be compliments," he told the pale individual. "And all compliments can be insults." Kekku simply raised his eyebrow and stared at his partly-blind companion, not knowing what to say.

 _..._

Now Nefertari and Akefia were seated on the ground, their backs against the wall of one of the many buildings. Akefia had managed to stop crying but he was still visibly down. The pair had been sat in silence for a while, but Akefia was the one to eventually speak up.

"Your father," he murmured. "Do you know which item he wields?"

Nefertari looked at him, understanding that the thief was referring to the Millennium Items. She slowly glanced down at the sand, almost ashamed to answer now that she knew where those items came from.

"...He wields the Millennium Ring," she told him. Akefia slowly nodded his head.

"The Millennium Ring," he repeated to himself. "And, now that you are no longer there to succeed him, who will be the next one to weild that item?"

Nefertari seemed thoughtful for a moment before she shook her head. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "If I recall correctly Mahad and Seto were both competing to claim the Millennium Rod, but Seto seemed to be the stronger one. One of them may claim the Millennium Ring."

"I won't let either of them have it for long," Akefia declared, his expression blank but his fists clenched in anger. "I will use that item against them when I finally avenge my home. The Millennium Ring will be mine before all seven items are in my possession."

A saddened look was on Nefertari's face. So he was still intent on getting his revenge after all. Akefia noticed her look of sorrow and immediately went from being void of emotion to full of guilt.

"They took my home, Nefertari," he reminded her. "If I don't avenge Kul Elna, these spirits will haunt this place forever. Not only that, but..."

There was a lengthy pause.

"...But...?" Nefertari attempted to urge, only earning a scowl from Akefia as he stood himself up.

"Wait right here," he told her as he marched away. Nefertari tilted her head to the side, watching him. Where was he going all of a sudden?

Akefia wore a frown as he found the stairs which led to that room. That awful room. Something was telling him to go there, but at the same time he wanted to go there.

He approached the stone in the centre of the room but stopped before he could get too close.

"Why are you calling me?" the thief asked through clenched teeth. He had been hearing the calls of this demonic being ever since he had arrived here.

"You have returned," the voice told him. "And you have the DiaDhank. Now you can retrieve the seven items as you promised."

Akefia's eyes widened but his stare was deadly. "Not yet..." he hissed.

"Why must you wait?" the voice questioned almost irritably. "You can now summon your Ka. I will be able to strengthen your Diabound according to the hate and anger you feel towards this world. The souls here will protect and empower you should anyone follow and attack you. You are ready to get your revenge."

Akefia stood there in silence. He wanted his revenge, indeed he did. But now? His Ka needed to get stronger, but...

He cared about Nefertari.

He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't want El-Isfet to become another Kul Elna. His fondness for the queen he once hated...

Weakened him.

And the dark beast could sense this.

"You care for that woman," he snarled. "Don't think I cannot tell. I can read you, thief. You have grown here under my watch. I have raised you. Your stone cold gaze has softened, and that woman who accompanied you here... She is no sacrifice, is she? You do not plan to kill her."

The voice grew more vicious. "Foolish boy," he rasped. "Your Ka will weaken if you allow yourself to care for others! When you attack the Capital you will die and you'll be buried in an unmarked grave! You will forever be forgotten and your people will still be suffering here in these ruins!"

"What if I refuse to carry out an attack?" Akefia decided to ask. "What if I do not retrieve those items for you?"

While Akefia had thought about abandoning his quest for revenge he was far from making a decision. In fact, he still saught revenge. He was certain of that; he still wanted to destroy the Pharaoh and everyone who obeyed him.

But he didn't want to destroy places like El-Isfet.

The voice growled lowly. "You're forgetting your place, you disobedient cur," it hissed, a ghostly arm emerging from the stone. Akefia instantly looked defensive as he was grabbed by the large hand and pulled towards the stone, being dragged down onto his front so that he was forced to bow.

"I'm not giving you a choice," the voice stated simply as a purple aura suddenly surrounded Akefia. The young man's eyes widened as he let out a horrifying yell.

His yell was heard by Nefertari as she immediately ran towards the sound. "Akefia?!" she called out, sounding incredibly worried.

Down underground the voice laughed as Akefia lay on the stone, yelling in what sounded like agony.

"That woman you brought here cares for the man you wish you were," he mocked. "She doesn't know you like I do. She doesn't know how weak you are. How easy you are to use as a host. You're nothing but a pawn in my game!"

The thief's eyes widened as he yelled painfully. "No!" he hollered. "Never!"

"Akefia!" Nefertari shouted as she ran down the steps, darting into the large temple-like room. Her pupils almost shrunk as she witnessed Akefia's suffering, not knowing what was going on. All she could see was a dark aura emitting from his body as he did his best to get up on his feet.

"Akefia, what's happening to you?!" the woman begged, desperately wanting to know what she could do to save the man.

But when he sharply turned his head to face her a wide grin was upon his face.

Nefertari had barely any time to process the expression as he turned around completely, standing in a slouched position with his head lowered. He held out his arm to the side as the Diabound symbol on his DiaDhank glowed.

"Diabound!" he called. "Attack with Helical Shockwave!"

Immediately the young woman turned her head, expecting Diabound to attack from behind. But the creature wasn't there.

It emerged from Akefia and she barely had enough time to jump out of the way, landing with a "thud" on her side. The impact wouldn't have hurt her as much if it wasn't for her still-healing injuries. She grimaced for a moment but knew that she had no time to be weak.

Akefia was going to kill her.

Diabound prepared another attack which Nefertari promptly ran from, diving behind one of the large stone pillars. She heard the scar-faced bandit let out a laugh which could only belong to a madman.

"What ever is the matter, Nefertari?" he asked sarcastically. "I thought you were supposed to be the feared Queen of Outcasts!"

This wasn't him. It couldn't have been. That's not something Akefia would say. Not in this situation, at least. There was definitely a hint of a new evil; not only could Nefertari hear it in his voice but she could also sense it.

The snake head on the lower half of Diabound's body slithered around and met eyes with her, preparing to make a second attack. As it released another blast of energy the woman ran to save herself, attempting to reach the staircase only to be blocked by the white beast.

"There's no escape for you now!" Akefia laughed. Nefertari turned and stared back at Akefia, who was still standing upon the stone slab with that purple glow surrounding him. The stone was the one he had spoken about; it was the one where the Millennium Items were forged.

During her time living in the Capital she had listened to Mahad talk about spells which didn't particularly interest her. He said something about magic requiring evil. It wasn't something she focused on at the time but now his advice was useful.

Evil came with magic.

Magic had been used to create those Millennium Items in that slab.

Right now Akefia hadn't even moved from his high-up position and was solely depending on his Diabound to do the dirty work, so Nefertari made a risky decision. She turned on her heel and ran towards Akefia, seeing his grin briefly drop to an irritated frown. He knew exactly what she was up to.

"Diabound!" he yelled as the young queen ran up the steps towards him. "Go! Helical Shockwave!"

Nefertari had only just reached the top of the steps and was close to Akefia, but she knew that she had to avoid this attack or potentially lose her life. She dived to the side and dodged the attack successfully once again.

But Akefia didn't.

His own eyes widened as he saw the pink spiral heading towards him, directly blasting him back until he smashed his back into the stone wall. The thief lost his aura and fell flat on his front, his eyes immediately closing once he landed. Diabound let out a wail as he vanished in a flash of bright light.

Silence.

"Akefia!" Nefertari cried out, standing herself up as she sprinted back down from the stone slab and to the man's side. She fell to her knees and cradled him. Never before had she looked so distressed.

"Please," she begged. "Please open your eyes, Akefia..."

She desperately tried to hold onto hope, but too many signs pointed to the obvious. His Ka had vanished. He wasn't moving. He had been fatally attacked.

The queen gently brushed some of his hair from his scuffed face, her thumb lightly caressing his cheek as she tried desperately to avoid breaking down in tears. There was still hope. There had to be.

"You're strong," she wavered. "You're one of the stronger men I have met. No... you are stronger than any person. Man, woman, priest, spellcaster... You are strong, Akefia. You're not meant to... You're not meant to perish like this."

He wasn't moving. His mouth hung open slightly and his eyes remained closed. His expression said nothing but death. This was the face of a man who had met his end.

Tears started to fight her tear ducts. They glazed over her purple eyes as she stared down at the young thief in horror. Her body began to tremble as she held him close.

"Please," she pleaded again. "Don't be..." her voice was wavering, "don't be gone... Your people... You have to... avenge... your people..."

The lack of response as his head simply rolled when lightly touched was only making Nefertari lose the war with her desperate emotions. She supported his head and continued to hold him protectively.

"You..." she choked out. "You mean... quite a lot to me..." The blue-haired woman swallowed hard in an attempt to contain her tears. "You... You saved me... You saved my village... You showed me that... I could... truly... care for... another man..."

At last the tears began to stream as she continued to speak, her lips trembling. "I thought... I would never want anyone... I thought I was... strong enough on my own... But you... you've made me want to be an ordinary woman..."

The young woman held his form even closer, burying her face in his hair as she finally let out a sniffle. "I don't want you to go..." she whimpered. "I don't want you to leave me... But I'd rather see you leave than see you die!"

She was crying. She was sobbing. She was screaming. Mourning. "I can't lose you, Akefia!" she howled. "You can't die on me like this! If you die your home will become forgotten! You have to let people know what happened here! You must bring justice, and when you do..." Nefertari clutched his hand and barely brought herself to finish speaking, "come back to me... and never leave me again..."

Heartbroken, Nefertari continued to sob into Akefia's hair. She couldn't take it. She couldn't bear the thought that he may be gone forever, all because she dodged an attack from his Diabound.

But, when the queen least expected it...

His hand slowly clutched around her own.

Nefertari's sobs gradually softened as she slowly lifted her head, staring down at the man in her arms as tears rolled down her cheeks.

His eyes were open.

They were only half-open but open nonetheless. He wasn't looking at her and his expression was blank and weak.

Slowly the thief lifted his head and faced upwards, meeting Nefertari's tearful gaze. His hand slipped from hers and placed itself on her cheek, his thumb wiping away her tears.

The queen shakily reached up and held his hand against her cheek, her expression changing from shock to relief.

"N...Nefer..." the thief king spoke weakly, finding it painful to use his voice while in this state. "Neffy... I... I'm... so... so... sorry..."

Nefertari only clutched his hand tighter as she tried not to cry again. Not from sadness but from pure relief that Akefia was alive.

The queen tried to smile, albeit tearfully and weakly due to how much her tears wanted to come out again. "Neffy...?" she repeated to him. "H-Heh... You almost sound like Mahad..."

Akefia seemed to only appear saddened at her words, shaking his head slowly. "I'm... no one... else..." he clarified. "I... am... Akefia..."

"...No," Nefertari told him, earning a weak yet surprised gaze from the thief. "You're not just Akefia." She pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes before whispering shakily.

"You're my king."

Akefia's eyes widened as much as they could before they relaxed again. Without saying anything he gently pulled her face closer and planted a kiss upon her lips, closing his own eyes. Nefertari was startled for a split second but was quick to embrace the moment, sitting the thief up against the cold stone wall as he now held her in his arms.

He was her king and she was his queen. And nothing was going to change that. This was where they decided that nothing was ever going to separate them.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	21. Chapter XXI

**~Chapter XXI~**

 _El-Isfet, Egypt, Over 5,000 years ago_

"It's getting dark," Haku told Servus, worry evident in his voice. "The queen has been gone for quite a while. The desert can be dangerous at night; she may encounter more bandits."

"I'm sure she's okay..." Servus responded quietly. "She's... She's strong..."

Haku shook his head. "I'm worried," he admitted. "Maybe we should look for her. Does anybody know where she went?"

"I'm afraid not," Servus answered. "Akefia didn't tell her."

Now Haku looked even more concerned. "So even she did not know where she was going?" he queried. "That man could have killed her. What are we supposed to do if he gets away with murdering her? What if he comes back here and kills the rest of us?"

"I doubt he would do such a thing," Servus told him. "He's close to her. Even you can see that."

"I suppose..." Haku murmured, folding his arms before looking back up at the sky. "I just hope she makes a safe return."

"There!" Kubui could be heard calling out from his watch post. "I see a horse approaching with two riders! Nefertari is returning!"

Haku's eyes widened and he ran to join Kubui. The man was right. Nefertari and Akefia were both finally returning.

The pair were both worn out. Nefertari was the one in control of the horse but she still sat behind Akefia so that she could hold him protectively. In fact Akefia seemed to be fast asleep and Nefertari seemed like she would pass out any minute now.

They arrived at the village and Nefertari almost fell off the horse, swaying slightly. She really was exhausted.

Kiro and Akuma were the two who greeted the duo, with Kiro grabbing the horse by its reins while Akuma reached up to help remove both individuals from the back of the mount.

"What happened?" the blonde asked. "My queen, is everything alright? You look awfully tired."

Nefertari nodded her head and yawned, but her eyes were then on the now-awakening Akefia. "...He's injured..." the woman told her adviser. "Please... help me take him to my chamber..."

Akuma was not easy to fool. She knew that Nefertari definitely had feelings for this man. "You want him to be taken to your room?"

"Yes," Nefertari confirmed. "It will be easier to care for him if he's in the same room as me."

"How did he gain this injury?" Kiro decided to question, her hands on her hips. "Were you guys attacked or something?"

The young queen seemed thoughtful before shaking her head. "No," she replied.

"Then what happened?" Kiro pressed, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. Nefertari was stumped but was able to avoid the topic.

"I'll tell you two tomorrow," she said. "Right now... even I need to rest."

So Nefertari headed up to her chamber as Kiro and Akuma helped both her and Akefia. Akefia was now awake but hadn't spoken at all, still feeling both weak and tired. He was able to remove his own shenti so that he only wore his black kilt, laying the gown on the wooden stool located in the corner of Nefertari's room. Akuma and Kiro left the pair to it and did not question them further, though deep down they both wanted to know what was going on between them; it was obvious that they cared for each other more than they should.

Akefia staggered over to the bed and collapsed onto it, his eyes closed. He lay like that for a moment before remembering that he wasn't the only one in the room, his eyes re-opening and staring at Nefertari as she tried her best not to laugh at him. He frowned and looked away. "Do not laugh at me..." he grumbled. The queen sat herself up and reached over, gently taking a hold of his arms as she carefully lifted him fully onto the bed.

"You need rest, Akefia," she reminded him. "We both do," she became a little more serious as she continued to speak, "and tomorrow... you and I will talk."

Talk? That almost sounded intimidating, but in all honesty he was too tired to care. The thief simply pulled the sheet over himself and curled up, closing his eyes to go to sleep. He was startled when he felt Nefertari wrap her arms around him - so startled that he opened his eyes and tensed up. But the young woman simply pulled him closer and held him, a content smile on her face. Akefia stared for a moment before smiling back, closing his eyes once again as he snuggled into her for the night.

 _..._

Akuto stood in the in the centre room of the palace which was a small court room - a large space where one would expect to see a throne if this palace housed true royalty. Before him stood Nefertari, her expression firm as Akuma and Kiro stood by her side.

"Your encounter with the Desert Children," Nefertari began. "Safira said you'd tell me about it."

The bandit, still weary from his previous torment at Akefia's hands, stood with a scowl upon his face. He glanced behind him and saw Safira standing there with a worried look on her face, but when she saw him turn she smiled softly and nodded her head at him. Despite his hatred for the queen he turned his head again and stared at the ground, his fists clenching.

"We encountered them a while ago," he started. "We couldn't have fought them if we wanted to. They were stronger than any group of rogues I have ever seen."

"What happened?" Nefertari interrogated, earning a frown from the bandit.

 _..._

 _Desert Camp, Egypt, long before the current events_

Akuto had finally managed to light the fire as he and the other bandits sat in a small gathering. Night had fallen and they intended to camp here. The others were already roasting meat and fish over the fire Akuto had lit.

As usual the leader was bragging about some treasure he had stolen and was telling some obnoxious story. Akuto never listened to these tales; he just sat silently and zoned out until he heard his name.

"Akuto."

There it was.

"Bring out some more of our wood," the leader commanded. The young man did as he was told, standing up and heading to the carriage where the wood had been placed. He grabbed a few pieces absentmindedly until he caught sight of some figures in the distance.

A group. A large group. They weren't carrying torches so they were hard to see.

Akuto stared at the group for a moment, thinking that perhaps they would simply pass by, but that was not the case. They were facing in their direction. They were going to approach.

The young bandit turned and returned to his group, carrying a few pieces of firewood as he approached his leader.

"Boss, we have a problem..." he spoke quietly. The bandit leader grit his teeth and glared at the boy.

"Quit you're yappin', Akuto, I'm in the middle of a speech!" he snapped, proceeding with whatever story he was telling. Akuto was about to speak up again but knew that his leader would only snap at him more. Instead he turned his attention back to the distant group. They had vanished.

Akuto was relieved. Clearly they had passed by and avoided the group.

But the feeling of relief was extinguished when the fire went out.

"Huh? Was there a breeze just now?" the bandit leader queried, his eyes wandering to Akuto. "Light us another fire, would ya?"

Akuto's eyes were slightly wide but not wide enough to expose his feelings of shock. The young man nodded his head and placed some more firewood onto the fire, preparing to ignite it before suddenly there was a strong gust of wind circling the group. Akuto flinched and shielded his eyes, as did many of the other bandits as the sand surrounding them rose up. It was almost as if they were trapped in the heart of a sandstorm or sand tornado until the small grains once again dropped back down to the ground, the wind dying away. Akuto uncovered his eyes, believing that the worst was over, but found himself staring at a group of masked individuals surrounding the entire gang of bandits.

These figures were all wearing black cloaks with golden masks upon their faces. They stood with a firm posture, each of them wielding a pair of daggers. Akuto was easily able to deduce that these individuals were hostile; he couldn't say if they were men or women due to their masks and baggy robes.

"What the-?!" exclaimed the leader of the bandits in irritation. "What kind of game is this?! Don't you people know who you're messing with?!"

One of the masked individuals stepped forward towards the small group of bandits, focusing on the leader. The bandits, including Akuto, all drew their own knives and prepared for a fight if necessary.

"You should be asking me that question, Egyptian," the individual spoke. Judging by the sound of his voice Akuto assumed this masked figure to be a young man. A teenager. His theory was confirmed as the boy lifted his mask so that it was atop his head.

The individual had pale skin and a freckled face - a sight rarely seen in Egypt. He had short and mildly wavy black hair and a small scar marked his left cheek to prove that he had indeed been involved in violent acts before. But what stood out the most were the black lines tattooed down his eyes like black scars. His eyes alone were strange enough due to being grey instead of any natural colour.

The boy almost seemed to glide forwards as his black cloak flowed behind him. The bandits seemed ready to take on the young male, now convinced that he may not be as much as a threat as they thought; he only seemed to be a child compared to them.

Akuto's leader almost laughed but instead just grinned widely. "Heh! You've got some nerve, kid! But you're gonna be sorry you messed with me!"

The teen stopped a few feet in front of the leader and stared at him emotionlessly. "I believe you are underestimating me," he spoke blankly. "You are underestimating all of us."

The bandit leader couldn't help but chortle. "You expect me to be afraid of you?" he laughed. "A mere boy and his friends? You should go home before your mothers grow worried!"

As he laughed the teenager, with an unchanging expression, simply raised both his arms and seemed to suddenly vanish into the sand. Akuto widened his eyes slightly in worry, seeing his leader suddenly become panicked.

"What the-?! Where did the brat go?!" the leader snapped. He glanced around but sharply turned to face behind him, only to see one of his men standing with a bleeding neck. Stood behind him, grasping the man by his hair, was the boy. He stood there almost doll-like with his never-changing expression, holding up his dagger which was now stained with the bandit's blood.

The group leader looked full of rage but also caution as he stared in shock at the young teen. Akuto didn't look as expressive but still seemed horrified. Never before had someone managed to pull off such a trick with them - it was definitely some form of sorcery.

"We are the Desert Children," the masked boy spoke monotonously. "We have all come from far away lands against our will. We have all suffered here, but with the guidance of Apophis we have been able survive. He has saved us, and in return I will make sure he is saved from his cursed state."

Akuto's leader looked confused and startled for a brief second before quickly returning to appearing hateful and angry. "What the heck are you talking about, you cur?!" he demanded. "Desert Children?! Foreign lands?! Apophis?! You're talking crap, you know that?!"

The teen dropped the now-dead man in his grasp and slowly stepped towards the leader, only to be swarmed by the other bandits. Again he vanished into the sand and caused those around him to become confused before he reappeared outside of the little cluster.

"You view your men as expendable," he noted. "You are not mourning for the man I just killed. You do not care about him; you are a man overwhelmed by greed."

The bandit leader bared his teeth and snarled, raising his machete. "I've had enough of you, you foreign brat!" he barked. "Stop using your magic tricks and fight like a real man!" He felt as though he now had the upper hand as a few of his men nodded in agreement and cheered him on, though Akuto stood there with a look of caution. The young bandit could see that this teenager would not cooperate.

Still void of emotion, the teen stood there and stared at the bandit leader with glazed eyes. "I have no need to fight like a real man," he stated calmly. "You only want me to fight like that because you know that you are not as powerful as I am." The boy held out his arm slowly and tilted his head to the side. "I am Apophis' current host. I am the strongest Desert Child of all. It is my mission to find someone with a Ka similar to Apophis' spirit so that he may return to this world in a stronger physical form."

From the sleeve of the boy's black robe a movement could be identified. Out slithered a large black King Cobra which slowly reared itself up and flared its hood, its red eyes locked onto the bandits. The mere sight of a venomous snake being loyal to another human was astonishing, but everyone was immediately able to see that this was a major threat. Worst of all, nobody could put a label on this individual or any of his associates. Were they snake charmers? Spellcasters? Tricksters? A cult of some sort? Nobody could tell.

The cobra eyed the group before turning and slithering up the teen's arm, resting itself around his neck. The boy stood there and didn't even react, although he did reach up with one hand to stroke the snake without even looking at it. The red eyes of the reptile were still focused on the cluster of cautious bandits.

"I have the power to kill you all," the teen declared. "I can kill each and every one of you, but my mission is almost complete. There are two infamous Egyptians who have a powerful snake-like Ka. Apophis will fuse himself with one of them and he will return to this world to destroy it. Only the darkened souls will be able to live in his world. Only those who follow in Apophis' teachings will live a long and proud life. Everyone else will suffer and rot, including you filthy bandits."

Slowly the robed boy walked in the direction of Akuto, seeing as the bandit immediately tensed up and clenched his fists as if ready for a fight.

"Apophis does not mind if a few of you pathetic creatures die," the teen translated after the black cobra let out a long hiss. "I will gladly make an example to your leader to show him our power. He will witness the power of Apophis."

Akuto realised that he was being targeted and took two steps back, his fists raised as the younger male approached him. The grey eyes belonging to the individual suddenly glowed red as a wind began to whirl around his feet, carrying a few grains of sand. But before the boy could use his power he stopped walking and slowly turned his head to the side. All of the Desert Children did.

The sun was rising.

A very small hint of irritation was almost seen in the lead child's expression. "You are lucky," he muttered to Akuto and the other bandits. "The Curse of Ra will destroy us if we wait for the sun to rise." The teen slowly glared at Akuto before then glaring at the group leader, his eyes grey again. "I can assure you all that you will suffer because of us," he confirmed, holding the black snake in his arms. "Farewell," the individual last said before vanishing into the sand. The others followed after him.

 _..._

 _El-Isfet, Egypt, Over 5,000 years ago_

Nefertari took in each and every detail and stared to the side thoughtfully, nodding her head as she attempted to understand the story. She found herself looking at Akuma, seeing that the blonde girl was troubled by something, before she looked back at Akuto.

"I can tell that you are not lying," she confirmed. "You are telling the truth. You are telling me what you saw that night. I suppose I must thank you for your cooperation, and I may be able to release you from your imprisonment if you prove that you will not bring harm to this village."

Akuto stared irritably at the woman but remembered that Safira was still stood in the room with him. He closed his magenta eyes and hung his head.

"Understood," he muttered quietly. Nefertari was almost surprised at his cooperation today, nodding her head in approval. She turned to look at Akuma and Kiro.

"Take him back to his cell for now," she commanded. "I will arrange his release after I come to terms with what I have just heard."

Akuma and Kiro both nodded their heads and pulled Akuto out of the room. Kiro didn't seem too bothered by anything that had been mentioned but Akuma seemed particularly thoughtful and worried. Nefertari knew this but didn't point it out.

Once the three had left the room Safira sadly made her way out of the palace to return to her hut. With her gone Nefertari let out a quiet sigh before heading up to her bedroom.

There was a detail from within that story which ate away at her mind. Two infamous individuals with snake-like Ka? Had that Desert Child been referring to both her and Akefia?

Having now entered her room, Nefertari spotted Akefia sitting upright with a strained expression on his face. He was now awake but clearly still in pain from the incident in Kul Elna.

"...Good morning," Nefertari greeted after a small silence. "Did you sleep well?"

Akefia just stared at her for a moment before giving his answer. "I was fine."

His response made Nefertari nod her head thoughtfully. "That's good to hear," she told him.

The thief continued to stare at her seriously. "You said you wanted to talk," he reminded her. Nefertari glanced to the side.

"I know I did," she replied. "I didn't forget what I said."

"Then get on with it," Akefia grumbled.

Nefertari looked at him, surprised at his grouchiness initially until she came to the conclusion that the bandit was simply irritable due to his injury and the fear of what the topic may be about.

"That thing in Kul Elna," the queen began. "The thing that was controlling you... What was it?"

Akefia frowned a little but not in an angry way; he didn't seem to be feeling annoyed with Nefertari for asking, either. He was simply uncomfortable with remembering the being which resided in his home.

"...That was Zorc," he revealed. "He helped me survive as a child and has promised to grant me with great power if I return the Millennium Items to their rightful place in the heart of Kul Elna. He also promised to strengthen my Diabound so that I may avenge my village."

"Zorc," Nefertari repeated to herself, almost familiar with the name. She was unable to recall where she may have heard it before. "So who is he? _What_ is he?"

Akefia glanced down slowly, trying to think of a description for the spirit within the stone. Nobody had ever asked him about Zorc and therefore he had never question himself about him, but now he was completely baffled; not even he knew who he was.

"I'm uncertain," he admitted. "He is a difficult entity to describe, but he is powerful. He is almost as powerful as a god. No... he may even be one of the forgotten gods."

Nefertari almost seemed concerned. If he was a god who wanted to help Akefia then what had happened in Kul Elna? Why did he make Akefia attack her? And if he had been in Kul Elna all that time, why didn't he stop the massacre and save his own people? Why didn't he save Akefia's family?

Or did he deliberately leave Akefia as the only survivor for a reason?

The young queen knew not to question Akefia further. He had no idea who Zorc was and, if her theory was correct, he would deny the theory that Zorc had something bigger planned. Akefia obviously knew that he wasn't a kind being, especially after what happened yesterday, but if he had been raised and shaped into the man he was today by him then it would be difficult to convince him that he wasn't being used as some kind of pawn. Nefertari would hopefully get to the bottom of this sooner or later; she hoped that she could outsmart the manipulative spirit.

"Very well," Nefertari eventually responded to Akefia. "Now, what do you have to say about the Desert Children? You said before that you knew enough about the group while nobody else has ever actually heard of them. So what do you know and how do you know anything about them?"

"It's all thanks to Zorc," Akefia replied. "He warned me about them. According to his words they are a group of powerful foreigners who are cursed to only be able to survive at night because of their loyalty to Apophis, the enemy of the sun god Ra. Zorc actually fears them as they have the power to revive Apophis, and should they do that they would threaten his very existence. But I know that they will not succeed in their mission yet because Zorc has displayed no signs of worry, therefore they are not a threat to any of us."

How could he be so sure? Akuto's story made them sound like a threat and both Anku and Safira had grown concerned. Nefertari silently denied what Akefia had said and decided to still believe that these Desert Children were a threat.

The young thief winced as he shifted a little, moving so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed and closer to Nefertari. He reached up and took hold of her wrist to awaken her from her thoughts.

"Nefertari," he spoke. "If these Desert Children ever did become a threat then we would be able to defeat them before they could summon their god. Together we are powerful. We can overcome any challenge that may face us."

His hand slipped into hers and squeezed firmly, a relaxed but caring expression on his face as his half-closed eyes stared up at the woman before him. "You and I could conquer the Capital together. We could destroy all of our enemies; all of the people who ever wronged us. We could rule Egypt. We could rule the seas. We could rule everything."

Nefertari's expression saddened slightly as she glanced to the side. "You know I have no interest in such things..." she murmured, admitting her lack of desire for pure revenge. Akefia brought her hand to his own cheek and held it there, closing her eyes thoughtfully.

"I wish I could say the same," he said almost sadly as he slowly re-opened his eyes, "but the villagers of Kul Elna must be freed, and only I am capable of doing that by using Zorc for revenge."

The queen's gaze became thoughtful yet solemn as her eyes never left the face of the young man. "Imagine that you didn't have to avenge anyone," she said to him. "What would you be doing now?"

Akefia's face only became more sorrowful, his sad eyes meeting hers. "I'd never leave El-Isfet," he confessed. Nefertari's eyes almost widened, but after yesterday she was not at all surprised by the comment. Instead she sat herself down on the bed beside Akefia, still clutching his hand firmly.

"You'll die out there," she muffled under her breath. "You'll die if you even try to steal those items. I really don't want to lose you to them, Akefia..."

"You won't," the thief assured. "I will not die. I will come back here."

"If you attack the Capital my people will not forgive you like I have," Nefertari clarified, seeing Akefia enter a thoughtful state for a moment.

"...I will come back here," he repeated. "I will return to you no matter what happens. That is the one promise I swear to keep. I will return, Nefertari. I will see you again even if I do lose to the Pharaoh."

Tears were almost in Nefertari's eyes as she flattened her hand against his cheek. "If you truly mean what you say then I order you to keep that promise," she responded. "You must return to me no matter what. Even if I am hated for loving the man who attacked the Capital, I will stay by your side until the day I die. We will survive together no matter where we go."

Akefia almost smiled as he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes once more. "You have my word, Nefertari," he assured her softly. "I will return to you and we will be together for the rest of our lives. We shall live peacefully away from anyone who may threaten us."

Nefertari smiled lovingly at the thief. "We shall," she agreed. "We'll have our own royal family, as well..."

The young thief raised a brow but immediately saw her embarrassment, quickly deciding to ease her as he used his second hand to hold her close and stroke her back.

"We will," he agreed, knowing that he had made the young woman brighten up in surprise and joy. "When I was a child I would dream of growing up and having a family of my own. I used to love thinking of what the names of my future children would be."

The queen looked up at him thoughtfully. "And... what names do you prefer...?" she slowly queried. Akefia shrugged his shoulders.

"I never truly thought of names for girls," he admitted. "But for a boy I adored the name Ramses."

"Ramses?" queried Nefertari. Akefia nodded his head.

"Ramses," he repeated. "It's a name which refers to Ra, one of the many lost gods waiting to resurface." He chuckled softly as he tried to be humourous. "Perhaps now a name referring to Ra would help us against those Desert Children; you are afraid of them, after all."

Nefertari pouted very slightly and lightly nudged his shoulder. "Hey," she reacted. "It's not something to laugh about. I want to protect my people from potential danger."

"I know," Akefia said back. "But they are not dangerous yet, so for now... stop worrying."

The queen almost shuddered at his words before suddenly pulling him close, seeing him wince from slight pain. "Akefia," she muttered. "Thank you for being the best man I know."

Akefia almost seemed flatted as he managed to wrap his arms around her. "Anything for you," he responded with a very small smile. "You are my queen, after all."

Nefertari rubbed her hand on his back as she embraced him in her arms, an almost content expression on her face. This man was just so lovable to her. He wasn't like Mahad; he was different and strong. He was heartless yet at the same time he cared about her deeply. He truly did love her.

But while the love was true, the words were not what the pair would have exchanged if Zorc's ultimate plan hadn't been put into effect.

They were both his pawns and he was going to use them.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	22. Chapter XXII

**~Chapter XXII~**

Kubui wandered through the village with Servus and Haku, the latter pair wondering why the flirtatious individual wasn't with his foreign companion, Kekku. They both chose not to question it considering that Kubui was a close friend of their's and he most likely wanted to spend time with them, too.

"The Desert Children do sound rather terrifying, don't they?" Servus asked quietly.

"Ah, we'll be fine," Kubui assured with a smile. "We'll beat them. I'm sure they've got a weakness or two which we can use to our advantage."

"Yes, but we must find out their major weaknesses or else we're done for," Haku pointed out.

"Yeah?" Kubui responded casually. "We'll find their weakness easily."

"And what makes you say that?" Haku asked with a frown.

"We're the people of El-Isfet," Kubui shrugged. "We never lose."

 _..._

Akefia sat on the back of his horse, riding far away from the village to a secluded part of the desert. Nefertari watched him leave from just outside her palace, her mind wandering before Kekku approached her with a stern look on his face.

"Oh," Nefertari reacted when spotting him in the corner of her eye. "Hello there, Kekku. I didn't expect to see you here today."

"I heard what you and him talked about last night," Kekku revealed immediately. "You know that he wants to destroy the Capital and you don't plan to stop him. What makes you think he won't come for El-Isfet next?"

Nefertari stared at him in shock, surprised at how blunt he was currently being. "Kekku..." she began slowly, uncertain of what to say.

"He tried to kill you," Kekku continued. "He'll kill all of us when he's done with the Capital. I'm no fool, I heard him mention Zorc's name. That man will end up reducing the whole of Egypt to dust before moving on to plunge the world in darkness, and you're just going to let him do it." The pale-faced young man stepped closer to the self-proclaimed queen. "It's because you love him, isn't it?"

The blue-haired queen stood there, unmoving, her purple eyes locked onto Kekku. He glared at her, knowing that her silence meant that she was hesitating to confess.

"I knew it," he spat. "You let that thief steal your heart." The young man turned around and clenched his fists. "You know that nothing can come of that. Either he will break your heart or the High Priests will arrest you for betraying your loyalty to Mahad."

"The High Priests will do nothing to me," Nefertari stated, managing to gather her confidence again. "Out here I am free."

"You're living a lie," the black-heared teen coldly told her, glancing back almost with hatred. "El-Isfet is your bubble. It's where you escape reality. You won't be safe here forever, and that thief won't make life easier for you." With that said, Kekku ran out of sight. Nefertari watched him leave, still shocked at how Kekku had spoken to her.

Was she really going to have to let Akefia go?

 _..._

"Go!" Akefia barked at his Diabound. "Helical Shockwave!"

His Diabound blasted the sandy ground before him, but Akefia viewed the results as displeasing. "Tch," he hissed. "You're not as strong as you used to be. I cannot expect to win a battle against the Pharaoh's army if you go soft!"

His dark eyes glared at his beast, marching over to it and observing its body. Diabound was notably smaller. Akefia was about to snap at the monster again, but his expression suddenly went solemn as his eyes widened slightly.

Diabound wasn't the one going soft. _He_ was the one going soft.

"No..." he growled to himself, looking at his hands. "It can't be...! How could this be happening?! I despise the Pharaoh! I despise the priests! I despise the whole of Egypt!"

One glance at the DiaDhank around his wrist reminded him of why Diabound was growing weaker. This DiaDhank had been lent to him by Nefertari, the woman he cared deeply for. The only woman he would ever care for. But even with her support towards his cause, Akefia was still soft.

Love is what was weakening his Diabound. His love for her and the happiness he felt in El-Isfet was making his heart soft. If he continued to feel this way then he would get himself killed in battle.

He knew that he had to choose between revenge and Nefertari.

Maybe it was time he let his desire for revenge go...

 _..._

Hours later, Akefia returned to El-Isfet and entered the palace, intending to return Nefertari's DiaDhank. He knocked on the door to her room, opening it when hearing the queen's voice telling him to "come in".

He walked in as if nothing was on his mind, holding the DiaDhank in his hand. "I'm returning this to you," he said before noticing Nefertari's solemn gaze as she sat by the window. "...Nefertari?"

"...Did your training go well?" the woman asked, her eyes not on the man at all. Akefia stared at her silently before looking away, placing the DiaDhank on her bed since he did not know where else to put it.

"Diabound is weak," he announced, looking over at the queen to see her reaction. She still didn't look at him but slowly nodded her head as if she expected that response. Tilting his head to the side, Akefia stepped over to her. "Why do you ask?"

"You're not going to be able to destroy the Capital," Nefertari announced. "I'm making your Diabound weaker, aren't I? Even if I were to assist you in fighting the Pharaoh and his priests we would still lose. Diabound would be weak and so would Vennominaga..."

Akefia was silent as he stared at her, seeing in the rising moonlight that she had tears in her eyes. She gulped before continuing to speak to the thief.

"We can't be together," she revealed. A silence followed her statement as the tears in her eyes became even more clear.

"If you stay here and abandon your goal then Seto or Mahad will eventually find out about you and I. If that happens then we will both be punished according to the law. I was never supposed to fall for any other man besides Mahad, even in my exile. My punishment for abandoning my duties as a High Priestess apprentice was to remain unmarried until the day I die."

Tears were now rolling down her cheeks. "And if you pursued your goal while maintaining your feelings for me... your Diabound will be weak. You'll attack the Capital and you'll fail. You'll die..."

She finally turned her head and looked at Akefia, seeing that he was stood staring vacantly at her. His expression was always so empty, but she could see that he was hiding mixed emotions within himself.

The young queen stood herself up and approached him, taking his hand in hers. She finally started to cry softly, shaking her head slowly. "You know what must be done..." she wavered. "I... I don't want it to be this way... I want to be with you forever... but... this world is cruel to us... We're both criminals in the eyes of the gods... Life will never be easy for us..."

Akefia slowly wrapped his free arm around Nefertari, pulling her close blankly. She held onto him and buried her face into his shoulder, shaking as she wept quietly.

"The gods have always been cruel to me," he spoke in a soft tone of voice, "and I shall forever despise them for making me suffer. But I do not intend to let them win. You and I will be together again, even if it takes five thousand years. I will destroy the Capital and come back here for you. We will finally be free from society's hatred for us. We will live together happily."

"Shut up," Nefertari snapped suddenly, surprising the bandit king. "Stop making it harder... You mustn't think about me anymore or else you'll end up dead!"

Akefia shook his head, stroking her back thoughtfully. "I will leave tomorrow morning," he told her. "I will leave before you wake. I will travel far away to focus on strengthening my Diabound. I will never search for you and you must never search for me. I will only return to you when the deed is done."

Nefertari nodded her head, looking up at him with tears staining her cheeks. "Spend your last night here," she commanded. "Stay with me. Sleep by my side." Akefia nodded.

"As you wish," he replied gently, stroking her hair out of her face, "my queen."

She was going to miss hearing him say that. Her lips twitched and trembled as she managed to smile even in her current state of sadness. Akefia almost smiled back but didn't; he was barely showing any emotion at all.

Nefertari wiped her tears away with her hand. "Since you are leaving tomorrow," she began, "tonight will be when we officially bid farewell to one another. So I want to present you with a parting gift."

The young queen left the room, leaving Akefia by himself for a good while before she made her return. She held out her hands and handed him a golden bracelet in the shape of a snake, its eyes made of amethysts.

"I want you to have this," she told him. "I want you to wear it with pride. This bracelet has the power to bring out your Ka, so if anyone attacks you while you are away you have my permission to lay waste to them. You can summon your Diabound whenever you please until you are able to find yourself a DiaDhank."

Akefia stared at the bracelet thoughtfully as he held it in his hands. He wasn't used to being given things; he was used to taking them from people. He almost rejected the offer, but he could see that Nefertari was very insistent. The man nodded his head and slipped it onto his wrist. "I'll think of you whenever I look at this," he said to her, only to see her shake her head.

"No," she refused. "Don't think of me. Think of your hatred for the Capital. Think of how much you hate them and their gods for what they have done to you. Hate them for what they have done to both of us. Your hatred powers your Ka, after all."

Akefia looked her in the eyes before taking one last look at the bracelet. After that he held Nefertari's cheek and pulled her face close to his, briefly panting a kiss on her lips.

"You are mine," he reminded her, "and I am yours."

Nefertari thoughtfully touched the hand which was upon her cheek. "Our hearts are one," she told him, staring into his dark purple eyes. "And they will always be one." The pair both kissed each other again, this time for longer.

 _..._

The sun was only just starting to rise. Akefia was wearing only his black quilt, not remembering where he had put his beige shenti. He was currently sitting up in the bed, his empty gaze on the sleeping queen. He didn't want to disturb her, but he couldn't resist planting one final kiss upon her forehead before standing up. He wasn't going to miss his shenti so decided to leave the room without it, but not before taking the golden snake bracelet.

He found the same horse he had always ridden, mounting it with ease. The thief king urged the horse to walk on, heading towards the nearest exit to the village. He glanced back one final time at the palace, expecting to see Nefertari solemnly gazing at him from a window as he left. She wasn't there. Obviously she was still sleeping.

Finally taking his eyes away from the structure, Akefia spurred his horse and galloped away from El-Isfet for the last time.

 _..._

The room was dark, only being dimly lit by a fire which the masked figures sat around. The only one who was standing was the leader, who currently had the black cobra wrapped around his neck.

"Apophis tells me that El-Isfet's protector has finally left," the child announced calmly as he stroked the snake's head in a thoughtful manner. "Tonight we shall attack the village. We will capture the one who will bear Apophis' spirit, the one who will bring him back into this world. Now there is nobody strong enough to protect her, and we can outnumber her easily once we defeat her weaker guardians."

The black cobra bit into the boy's arm, causing his grey eyes to glow bright green as they altered in a way which made them seem reptilian. A dark aura surrounded the boy as the black snake seemed to merge with his body. Immediately the other children bowed before him.

"You will not disappoint me," the boy spoke in a slightly more demonic tone of voice, emphasizing the letter "s" as he spoke. "Tonight I will be reborn!"

"Yes, Lord Apophis!" the other children responded in unison.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	23. Chapter XXIII

**~Chapter XXIII~**

Servus sat inside El-Isfet's tavern, gazing out the window and staring at the palace from his seat. Haku sat opposite him with a look of concern upon his face.

"You seem worried," he acknowledged, catching the other male's attention. Servus jolted and slowly turned his head before directing his gaze to the table.

"I am," he admitted. "The queen hasn't left her room all day. Morning has come and gone and the sun will be setting in a while."

"You noticed as well, hm?" Haku responded as he sipped his wine. "Perhaps she is sick. I'm sure Akefia is taking good care of her if that is the case."

"Akefia has left," came Anku's voice. Both Haku and Servus turned to look at him, seeing that he was stood beside their table.

"Oh," Haku reacted. "We didn't see you there, Anku."

"Akefia has left?" Servus repeated. "What do you mean?"

"He has left the village," Anku reiterated. "Safira saw it last night. A great darkness clouded his path; all she saw was him leaving on his horse."

Haku slowly looked at Servus, his expression now one of worry. "The queen is alone," he said to him. "If that thief left without telling anyone... she could be dead in her room. He could've killed her!"

"The queen is well," Anku assured, though his eyes saddened in a way that made it look as if he was sympathizing with an injured dog, "but she will not be well for long."

"Why not?" Haku questioned hastily. "What's going on? Why did Akefia leave? Stop being so cryptic, Anku!" Anku simply shook his head, briefly closing his eyes.

"Kekku confessed to speaking with the queen," he explained. "He claims to have convinced her that Akefia was a bad omen, so it is likely that the queen ordered him to leave. As for her..." His mismatched eyes opened and he locked his gaze onto the duo as he made his announcement. "The Desert Children will use her as their vessel."

Haku stood abruptly. "The Desert Children?!" he exclaimed. "They're coming?! When?!"

"Tonight," Anku confirmed calmly.

Servus was the next to stand. "We must warn the queen!" he tried to say in a confident tone.

"We have to prepare for a fight!" Haku added. "We've already heard about how powerful the Desert Children are; everyone must be prepared!"

"Akuma has been sent to warn the queen," Anku assured, "and Kiro is making military preparations."

"Well, Servus and I are going to help Kiro," Haku declared. "And while we do that, you and Safira should see if there are any decent spells you can use against the Desert Children; see if anything can counter their own magic."

Anku bowed his head. "I will do what I can, as will Safira," he assured. "I pray that the gods will keep El-Isfet safe during the battle." With that said, Anku turned on his heel and made his leave.

 _..._

"My queen!" called Akuma as she knocked on the door to Nefertari's room. "My queen, it's me! Akuma! I have something important to tell you! Something urgent!"

There was no quick response to Akuma let herself in. Nefertari was just sitting on a stool beside the window, wearing a beige shenti meant for a male. The look in her eyes was vacant.

"My queen?" Akuma reacted upon seeing her like this. She jogged over to the young woman's side. "My queen, the Desert Children are coming tonight! They intend to use you as a vessel for some ritual of theirs! They want you to host the soul of the Forbidden God, Apophis!"

"Zorc knew this would happen," Nefertari spoke solemnly. Akuma seemed highly confused.

"Zorc?" she responded as Nefertari arose to her feet, still gazing out of the window and at the village.

"He knew that the Desert Children would attack. They were waiting for Akefia to leave. Now that he has left, they're going to attack. And Zorc intends to keep Akefia away so that they may win this fight."

Nefertari's eyes narrowed darkly. "We will fight them with all the power we have," she planned. "I'm not going to let the Desert Children get what they want, and I'm not letting Zorc get what he wants, either." Her purple eyes trailed so that she was now looking back at the blonde woman. "Arm as many people as you can with items of magic," she ordered. "Let the ones with the strongest Ka fight using those. Anyone left without a magic-conducting item should be given a dagger, a sword and a bow with enough arrows to defend themselves with."

Akuma bowed her head. "As you wish, my queen," she responded, turning around to leave the room.

"Akuma," Nefertari spoke up, causing the young woman to halt and turn to face her. Nefertari smiled sadly at her, an expression which she was not known for showing.

"Thank you for being my advisor."

It almost sounded like she knew that the night would not go well.

 _..._

 _Long ago..._

Slaves were common in Egypt even when Aknamkanon was on the throne. Most slaves came from abroad; Egyptian slaves were usually people being punished for committing crimes.

Ships would arrive carrying these foreign slaves, all of them being mere children. They would be pushed off the ship and forced to walk for miles and miles through the desert heat. No water was given to them and they were not put on horseback, but these conditions did not apply to the Pharaoh's soldiers who walked alongside them.

The children were being tested to see if they were strong enough to work. Many of them would be given jobs requiring hard labour; slave masters didn't have time to care for the weak children. That is why any child who collapsed along the way back to the Capital was left to die.

One boy was stuck walking with his younger brother. Both of them had the palest skin in the land while they had dark black hair. The older boy was freckled and his eyes were a dark purple. His younger brother had shorter but wavier hair and his eyes were simply brown.

Unfortunately the younger boy was tired and sick. He had been crying and coughing for some time during the walk. "Kekku," he whimpered. "I can't walk anymore."

"We're almost there, Sabu," Kekku told him, though truly he had no idea how far the Capital was from where they were.

"It's too hot," his brother, Sabu, sniffled. "I'm tired, Kekku. My feet are hurting."

"You can have a long rest when we reach the Capital," Kekku assured.

"It's too far..." Sabu coughed out weakly. His eyelids were beginning to flutter, so Kekku gripped his hand tightly.

"It's not that far," he lied. "We're almost there, Sabu. Just keep walking for a bit longer."

His words were useless. Sabu was starting to sway and stumble as he staggered along with his older sibling. "I..." he stuttered, "I... I can't..." And that was it. The heat had gotten to him. The young boy fell into the sand, his eyes closed.

"Sabu?" Kekku reacted, coming to a halt as he fell to his knees and shook him. "Hey, Sabu! Get up! There's no time for sleeping!" Sabu barely let out a groan as Kekku continued to shake him. "You have to get up now, Sabu! You can't sleep here!"

A soldier grabbed Kekku by his arm as he marched past him, dragging him up to his feet.

"Wait!" Kekku cried, trying to pull his arm free. "Wait, he's going to get back up!"

"No, he's not," the soldier corrected coldly. "And if he does get up then he can catch up to us."

"No!" Kekku yelled. "No, please! I can carry him! I can prove that I'm strong by carrying him!"

"We don't need weak ones like him," the soldier shot back, still dragging the resistant child.

"Sabu!" Kekku screamed. "Sabu, get up! You have to get up! SABU!"

He didn't get up.

 _..._

A young blonde girl, one with darker skin than Kekku, had walked the same journey. She had arrived at the same building within the Capital, but she did not speak to any of her fellow prisoners. She never did. Even when she was moved from place to place working for different people she refused to speak to the other slaves.

Every night from that day was hell for her. She would be bruised and bleeding almost every morning after, and if she ever cried she would simply be beaten until she was silent. Like many of the others she knew that it was best to not resist, for her superiors were stronger than her.

But one day when she was working in the crop field she heard a girl yelling at the masters. She was a fellow slave who was also supposed to be harvesting the crops. Obviously she was new and thought that resistance was the best solution, so the blonde girl only shook her head in sympathy. What a fool that girl was.

"I ain't harvesting no crops unless I get paid or rewarded with some of the food!"

"You will do as you are commanded!"

"Make me!"

The sound of her being struck with a whip was heard. The blonde girl winced at the sound but continued to do her work.

"Alright, I'm doing it!"

There was a pause.

"What? You vile little wretch! You're not supposed to eat what you harvest!"

The girl could be heard laughing, making the other young girl laugh quietly to herself.

Some time later, during the small break time the slaves were rewarded with, the same resistant girl marched over and sat near the blonde, eating some grapes. The blonde girl looked shocked.

"You shouldn't be eating those," she whispered. "They're for the masters."

The other girl, who had dark black hair and brown eyes with skin as dark as the Egyptians', merely shrugged her shoulders. "Don't care," she replied with her mouth full.

"They'll beat you," the blonde warned. "And they'll do much worse..."

"Still don't care," said the other girl. "I'd rather die than serve these sorry excuses for men."

The blonde girl tilted her head, and finally the other slave girl looked at her. The dark-haired girl held out the grapes.

"Want some?" she asked. The blonde's first reaction was to shake her head, but secretly she was very hungry. "Yeah, you do!" the other girl laughed, passing a handful of grapes to her. "Eat up; but be quick if you're oh-so-scared of your _masters._ "

"I'm not afraid," the blonde pouted, accepting the offer cautiously but quickly. "I'm just not an idiot." Her statement simply made the other individual laugh.

"You're funny!" she chirped. "Do you have a name?"

The blonde girl swallowed her first grape. "Akuma," she answered. "How about you?"

"Kiro," the girl, Kiro, responded.

 _..._

The teal-haired boy cried out as he was beaten with a wooden stick. His eyes were bright green, though his skin was dark.

"Reading!" his master roared at him. "Disgraceful! Shameful! A slave like you should never read!"

"I'm sorry!" the boy wailed, only to be struck with the stick again.

"Do not speak unless spoken to!" his master yelled. The boy fell onto the floor, bowing and cowering before the man.

"That's quite enough," spoke up a much younger Egyptian man, a blank expression on his face. "I'm sure the boy means to cause me no offense."

"He knew a potential buyer was coming to see him today," the boy's master stated. "Obviously he wanted to offend you by being caught reading one of my scrolls!" The man hit the boy on the back. "Stand before Master Haku!"

As quickly as he could the boy staggered to his feet, keeping his head bowed.

"Now apologize for your rudeness," his master commanded.

"I-I'm sorry for reading in front of you..." he whimpered, wincing slightly as he expected to be struck with the stick again.

"Reading is a useful skill," Haku pointed out, seeing as the boy reacted with surprise despite his efforts to contain his inner feelings. "As a scribe it may come in handy to have a slave who reads."

As discussions proceeded Haku eventually paid the boy's master and led him out of the building. Now he was his owner.

"Do you have a name?" the young man questioned.

"Servus," the boy answered swiftly.

"No," Haku responded. "That's your slave name. I'm asking for your real name."

Servus seemed shocked as he gazed at his new master while walking beside him. He was silent for a while before shaking his head.

"It's just Servus," he insisted. "I never knew my other name."

"Maybe my friends will know," Haku thought out loud. "They're the ones who sent me to get you."

Again Servus looked surprised. "Why?" he asked before clearing his throat. "Sorry, master. I shouldn't ask questions..."

"Don't call me master," Haku ordered. "You shall just refer to me as Haku. And they sent me for you because they know who you really are."

Servus' green eyes went wide. There were people that knew him?

"Their names are Anku and Safira," Haku explained as they approached a tavern. "Do no wait for me to give you permission to speak. If they talk to you then you answer them naturally, alright?"

"Master, I'm confused..." Servus admitted. "What's happening...?"

"What's happening?" Haku asked him rhetorically. "You're a free man now, Servus. That's what's happening."

At that very moment, as Servus dawned upon the fact that this man had bought him for the purpose of rescuing him, a tanned man with black hair ran by the two, managing to snatch Haku's pouch of gold.

"A-A thief!" Servus pointed. Haku rolled his eyes.

"Not a very good one," he reacted. The thieving individual was stopped by a man with dark magenta hair. This man, who had black and orange eyes, took the pouch from the man who had been blinded in one eye.

"Your friend came back for more," said the magenta-haired man. He shoved the thief down to the floor as Haku approached.

"When will you ever learn, Kubui?" he asked him in a disappointed tone. Kubui shook his head quickly and stared up at the young man before laughing awkwardly.

 _..._

 _El-Isfet, over 5,000 years ago..._

Night had fallen.

Nefertari stood just outside her palace with her DiaDhank securely fastened around her wrist and her spear in her other hand. Around her stood all of her trusted guards.

She stood with the people whom once lived lives of pain and suffering before she rescued them and brought them to El-Isfet.

Akuma. Kiro. Servus. Kekku.

She stood with the people who despised the Capital and chose to join her instead of living under Aknamkanon's rule.

Haku. Anku. Safira. Kubui.

She even stood with somebody who despised her but wanted to win this fight against the Desert Children.

Akuto.

They were all stood by her side. They were all willing to die for her if it meant destroying this army once and for all.

The air was silent.

The sky was dark.

The fires of the torches were burning.

And then, suddenly, without any warning at all, the army of forgotten foreign children emerged from the sand faster than the eye could blink. The children who wore black cloaks and golden masks. The children who had been left to die when they could no longer walk in the desert heat. The children who had been saved by Apophis.

Then out of the sand emerged their leader. The pale boy with a freckled but mildly scarred face. The boy whose eyes had been drained of any previous colour, now only being grey. The boy with black hair which was short and wavy. He threw his golden mask aside and locked his eyes onto Nefertari in a vacant but challenging manner. Kekku froze upon seeing his face, but everyone had to react quickly when the leader of the Desert Children called forth his Ka: a black dragon with red eyes which prepared to lay waste to El-Isfet.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	24. Chapter XXIV

**~Chapter XXIV~**

 _Kul Elna, about 5,000 years ago_

"They're attacking now?!" Akefia yelled as he stood before Kul Elna's tablet for the Millennium Items.

"Yes," spoke the voice of Zorc from within the stone.

"You swore to tell me when they became a threat!" Akefia hissed. "You said you'd warn me about them if they were going to attack!"

"They are still not a threat to you," Zorc assured. "As for that village, the inhabitants are not going to be lucky tonight." Akefia's eyes darkened as he scowled, clenching his fists tightly.

"You lied..." he spat.

"I did not lie," Zorc corrected. "I told you that I would warn you about them if they were going to become a threat. They chose to attack El-Isfet tonight because you are no longer there to defend their target, Nefertari of Outcasts. However, Apophis will not be reborn tonight."

"I'm going back," Akefia declared, turning on his heel and marching for the exit. Zorc's shadowy hand emerged from the stone and grabbed Akefia firmly, pulling him back. "Let go of me! I will not be stopped by you!"

"If you go back now, your Diabound will never be strong," Zorc stated firmly.

"I don't care!" Akefia snapped as he thrashed around to escape the demon's clutch. "Nefertari is in danger! I must help her! Now let me go!"

"If you save her and proceed to attack the Capital you will die," Zorc predicted. "If you save her and remain in El-Isfet you will die. But if you do not save her then you will grow strong. You will be able to avenge your home."

Akefia's body started to glow a dark purple, causing him to tense up. "What are you doing?!" he hollered.

"I'm fusing a part of my soul with yours," Zorc answered flatly while Akefia snarled and thrashed. The cloudy hand then dropped the thief to the ground, vanishing back into the stone. "Now I can make sure you remain loyal to me and I can watch everything you do, and should you disappoint me I can take control of you."

Akefia bared his teeth in anger as he got back up onto his feet, but he said nothing.

There was nothing he could do now.

 _..._

 _El-Isfet, about 5,000 years ago_

"Go! Fallen Harpie!" Akuma bellowed as she pointed her scythe, allowing it to glow as her Ka manifested before her. Fallen Harpie screeched and flew towards the black dragon which the leader of the Desert Children, Sabu, had summoned.

"Go! Darklord Temptress!" Kiro called as the green jewel on the end of her sceptre began to glow. From it emerged her Ka, Darklord Temptress. Immediately the bat-winged creature drew out its sword and joined its harpie partner in her attack against the black dragon.

The black dragon with red eyes let out a bird-like shriek as a ball of fire began to form in its throat, glowing from within its mouth. Fallen Harpie and Darklord Temptress seemed almost hesitant and afraid, believing that they would be the targets, but instead the dragon went straight for the people below. Unleashing a fiery heat from within, the black dragon roasted a handful of unfortunate citizens alive. Their dying screams of agony filled the air as some of them fell to the ground and tried to put out the flames, but within seconds their bodies were dry and burnt.

The very sight left Nefertari stood frozen. A creature with this level of ability had never opposed them before; dragons symbolized either great purity or great evil and were mostly found within foreigners, but a dragon like this had never been encountered. Nefertari knew that her Vennominaga had the power to battle this thing, but the red-eyed beast had the ability of flight and speed. She had to think of a way to disable the dragon before it wiped out her village.

The blue-haired queen turned to face Haku, knowing that Akuma and Kiro were best left alone as they focused on both using their Ka and protecting themselves from the Desert Children.

"We have to take out its wings," she told him. "Without wings it will remain bound to the sand, then we have a better chance of destroying it and weakening its host."

Haku nodded his head. "I will speak with Anku and Safira," he responded. "We will do our best to come up with a plan, my queen, but I advise that you hide and keep yourself safe for now; we cannot risk the Desert Children getting to you."

"I'm not abandoning my people," Nefertari stated firmly. "I will not hide. I will fight and die, if I must."

"My queen..." Haku reacted, worry evident in his voice.

"Go to Anku and Safira," Nefertari commanded. "Go to them and make plans. I will use my lesser monsters to hold of the Desert Children and protect the people of El-Isfet, and I'll use my spear if any come too close."

With hesitation, Haku nodded his head and bowed before making his leave to join with Anku and Safira, Servus also joining the small meeting. Nefertari turned her attention to the battle, watching as every citizen from her village stood and fought against these black-clad assassins, some even unleashing their Ka for the very first time. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, allowing her DiaDhank to glow before re-opening her purple orbs and calling forth some of the other monsters she controlled.

"Venom Cobra! Venom Boa! Venom Serpent! Venom Snake! Arise from the sand and destroy these invaders!" she howled, watching as her four reptiles emerges and let out aggressive hissing sounds, slithering towards separate targets to protect their master and her people.

Kekku sprinted through the fighting crowd, pushing past people, regardless of which side they were on, in order to reach his younger brother, Sabu, who stood calmly while watching his black dragon breathe its fire once again, this time destroying a few buildings.

"Sabu!" Kekku cried out when he was a few metres away from the Desert Children's leader. Sabu's grey-eyed face slowly and calmly turned to look in Kekku's direction, no emotion lighting his expression at all. "Sabu, I thought you were dead! I thought you died in the desert heat!"

Sabu slowly walked towards Kekku, his hands behind his back. "I, too, believed I was dead," he spoke in his usual empty tone. "Every last child left to die believed that death had embraced them, but instead we were embraced by something else."

Kekku seemed confused, tensing up as his brother now stood a few feet before him. He scowled slightly, tears in his eyes; he thought that seeing his brother alive again would bring joy into his heart, but instead his heart was broken. "Apophis," he hissed.

"Apophis saved us from death," Sabu confirmed. "He gave us strength and granted us with powers no ordinary man possesses."

"He enslaved you!" Kekku angrily corrected. "He's turned you into his blind servant!" Sabu merely shook his head.

"You were the one who was enslaved, big brother," he revealed. "We were taken from our homes, yet you stand on Egyptian land serving an Egyptian noblewoman."

"Nefertari is not like the Egyptians who took us here!" Kekku clarified. "She was cast out of the society which we were to serve! She freed as many slaves as she could and has made her village safe for foreign folk such as ourselves!"

"Apophis needs her," Sabu stated blankly. "And you are in my way." He grabbed Kekku by his robe and, without any hesitation or emotion, through his head forwards to butt against Kekku's forehead, causing the pale teen to see stars and fall limp.

Meanwhile, further away from the violence, Haku, Anku, Safira and Servus stood in a circle.

"If we take out the wings of the black dragon it won't be able to fly," Haku told the other three. "It will be easier to attack, and when we destroy it the leader will be weak."

"The question remains of how we should damage the beast's wings," Anku pointed out, standing with both hands together in front of him almost as if her were praying. "I doubt bows and arrows will be strong enough; they have catapults in the Capital which can launch large boulders."

"They have catapults, but you have magic," Haku reminded. "Surely there is something you and Safira can do."

Safira and Anku both looked at each other before Anku spoke up again. "We will think of something," he assured, then turning to look at Servus. "It would be useful if you could help as well, Servus."

Servus almost seemed startled. "M-Me?" he stammered. "Anku, I know nothing about magic. You and Safira are the most knowledgable spellcasters in El-Isfet."

"But we are not the strongest," Anku countered. Servus stared at him in confusion but saw that Anku returned his attention to Haku. "Help the queen. Leave Safira and I to work on a plan; advise everyone to avoid the black dragon at all costs."

Haku nodded his head. "Consider it done," he responded, turning to leave. Servus went to follow him, but Anku grasped his wrist firmly.

"You should stay," Anku told him. Servus only stared at him with pure worry, almost as if he were afraid.

Safira stepped forwards. "You're not who you think you are, Servus. With your help, the three of us can defeat the black dragon."

"But how?" Servus queried. "I don't understand, you're not making any sense! Either of you! I... I just don't get it, you've always told me that I'm somebody better than who I "think" I am..."

"You must focus on the life you had before you were a slave," Anku pushed. "Focus, Servus."

"I was a young child," Servus reminded. "I thought I was born into slavery or taken as an infant..."

"No," Anku cut in. "Focus. Focus on the life you had before you were taken. I know you can remember."

Servus stared at him, his lime green eyes wide. He clenched his fists and scrunched up his face, trying his hardest to remember.

Fire. Burning. Screaming.

There was something in his mind.

Anku looked towards the chaos, then at Safira. "Stay with him," he commanded. "I will use my power to fight for now."

Safira nodded her head. "Be careful," she warned. "That dragon... it's very powerful. Do not risk summoning your Ka; that dragon will only destroy it and weaken you."

Anku simply smiled. "I am no fool, Safira," he reminded her before bowing, then leaving to fight.

Elsewhere, Sabu calmly walked through the chaos with his vacant expression upon his face. He had his mind on one thing: the queen. He would find her and he would infuse her with Apophis' soul.

The grey-eyed boy could see her in the distance. As his black dragon terrorized the village and assisted the other Desert Children all he did was lock his eyes onto his prey, stepping closer and closer. Amidst the chaos Nefertari hadn't even noticed him; she was currently busy thrusting her spear into the hearts or backs of any attacker nearby.

The black snake appeared suddenly, resting upon Sabu's shoulders. Apophis. The dark reptile flicked its tongue, red eyes also locked onto the blue-haired woman.

Raising his arm, Sabu silently called forth the red-eyed dragon. The dragon swooped down and landed only feet away from Nefertari, the impact of its land causing her to tumble over. Some of the El-Isfet citizens saw this as an opportunity to attack the beast, but they were obliterated in a blazing fire coming from the dragon's mouth. Seeing this, Nefertari's DiaDhank began to glow. "Vennominaga!" she bellowed, but before she could say anything else Sabu emerged from the sand behind her and threw her to the ground. The woman landed on her front, winded, but was rolled over onto her back by Sabu's foot. His empty gaze met her hateful but pained one.

"Apophis has waited a long time for this moment," the foreign teen commented quietly. Nefertari scowled up at him and took out her dagger which she always saved for close encounters. She raised it slowly, but it wasn't pointing in Sabu's direction.

"I'm not becoming some Forbidden God's puppet," she uttered, but before she could plunge the knife into her chest Sabu grasped it by the blade and yanked it from her hand, throwing it far out of her reach. His hand bled but he did not look at all in pain.

"You are the perfect host for his soul," the black-haired Desert Child pointed out. "You are blessed by Wadjet to have such a strong connection to snakes, which makes you perfect to carry Apophis and birth him into the world."

"Never!" Nefertari cried. Sabu simply placed his foot onto her abdomen firmly and pressed down, watching her squirm and growl.

"You are the perfect host," he repeated, holding out his arm slightly. The black snake of Apophis slithered from his arm and down towards Nefertari. Nefertari stared in fear, pushing Sabu off her abdomen. She was about to get up but he knelt down behind her and held her arms down firmly.

"No!" Nefertari cried out. "Haku! Akuma! Kiro! Kubui! Kekku! Akefia!"

"They will not come," Sabu told her. "My dragon is too strong for anybody to get past, and the thief is far away." He grabbed her DiaDhank from her wrist and pulled it off, throwing it aside to make sure that she did not try summoning her own Ka. "Your village will fall tonight, Nefertari, as will the people. But you must live. You will bring Apophis into this world."

The snake reared up suddenly, lying across Nefertari's front and locking eyes with hers. It hissed and suddenly bit into the side of her neck. At first Nefertari only growled, but this was no ordinary snake bite at all. The rapidly-growing stinging pain caused her to wail loudly.

Her scream was heard by Haku, who was fighting the Desert Children.

Her scream was heard by Anku, Safira and Servus.

Her scream was heard by Kubui, who had only just spotted Kekku's unconscious body in the street.

Her scream was heard by Kiro and Akuma, who were currently out of sight so that they could use their Ka to protect the villagers.

"The queen!" Kiro cried out. She gave away her position and started running, seeing that the dragon was now on the ground.

"Kiro, no!" Akuma yelled, running after her. Darklord Temptress and Fallen Harpie both followed them, even flying ahead so that they could attack the black dragon. But the two human girls were tackled by Desert Children who suddenly emerged from the sand, leaving them to focus on defending themselves while their Ka attempted to rescue the queen.

But the dragon saw them coming. It snarled and raised its head, staring up at them.

"Red-Eyes," Sabu commanded quietly. "Inferno Blast."

And, upon hearing the words spoken, the dragon breathed out a blast of burning energy. Nefertari's eyes widened through her pain as she witnessed both the Ka of Kiro and the Ka of Akuma being completely destroyed, meaning that her two friends could be close to death.

"Kiro!" she howled. "Akuma!"

"They had pathetic beasts as their Ka," Sabu commented soullessly. "No Ka can stand up to the Red-Eyes Black Dragon." His cold eyes narrowed slightly. "The only Ka which was more powerful belonged to the one girl Apophis did not save. She refused to come with us. One of the pure gods must have given her strength to survive; she developed the Blue-Eyes White Dragon as her Ka. No doubt she was destined to destroy me, but I have never seen her in many years."

Haku, having witnessed the destruction of Darklord Temptress and Fallen Harpie, ran to find Akuma and Kiro. They had bothed collapsed while fighting a number of Desert Children. In fact, their situation looked worse than that.

They looked dead.

Meanwhile, Kubui had dragged Kekku behind a building for safety and had slapped him in the face a few times to wake him up.

"Hey," he spoke quietly. "Hey, Kekku. Wake up, buddy!"

With a groan, Kekku slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head. "Sabu...?" he murmured. Kubui shook his head, appearing confused.

"No," he replied. "It's me; Kubui!"

"Kubui...?" Kekku moaned out, but then he suddenly snapped awake. "Sabu!" he reacted, jumping up to his feet. "He went after the queen! We have to stop him!"

"Sabu?" Kubui questioned. "Is he the leader?"

"Yeah," Kekku nodded. "He's the leader. He's the one controlling the black dragon. ...And he's my little brother."

Kubui blinked a few times to process the information. "...You have a very strange family," he admitted.

Elsewhere, Servus stepped out with Anku and Safira. The latter two were holding wands, which they raised in unison.

"By the power of all Heka, we summon the Queen of Dragons!" the cried out together, but nothing happened. They tried again and this time their wands glowed, but still nothing happened.

"It's no use," Safira sighed. "It at least takes three people to summon such a powerful beast."

"Three spellcasters," Anku corrected. "If Servus remembered his name and previous life before slavery, we could summon the Queen of Dragons."

Safira turned to face Servus. "Servus, please, you must remember who you are," she pleaded. "We cannot force you, for we could contaminate your mind and give you a false memory."

"I don't remember anything, I'm sorry!" Servus cried.

"You have to keep trying!" Safira begged. "With your help, we can summon a beast strong enough to defeat the dragon!"

Servus covered his eyes with his hands, trying harder and harder to focus on the brief memory he had before. Something was coming to mind...

But even if he remembered who he was, the chances of victory appeared to be slimming by the second. Akuma and Kiro had been defeated and the black dragon still stood without wounds, and worst of all...

Nefertari had been infused with Apophis' soul, and her eyes had glowed green to prove it.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	25. Chapter XXV

**~Chapter XXV~**

Sabu gazed down at Nefertari, staring into her glowing green eyes. He let go of her arms and stood himself up, still keeping his eyes on her. The process was done.

The teen looked to his black dragon. "Red-Eyes, destroy the village," he commanded.

The red-eyed dragon spread its wings and launched itself into the air. Sabu watched it fly, but commanding his beast to move exposed him immediately to nobody other than Akuto, a man now wearing his bandit gear including a dark bandana around his neck and his hair in a rather short ponytail. Clad in black and beige, Akuto almost resembled a desert child, but also he blended into the darkness. Drawing out his long sword, Akuto charged towards Sabu and struck him in the back. Sabu had been caught off guard but dissolved into grains of sand, only to reappear behind Akuto. He snatched the sword from the bandit and prepared to shove it into his back, but Akuto was quick enough to twirl out of the way and grab Sabu by the shoulders, pulling him down so that he could knee him in the face a number of times.

Nefertari slowly sat herself up, rubbing her head as if she had a headache. Her green eyes dimmed to reveal her naturally-purple ones. The woman, although confused and weak, turned her head to watch as Akuto and Sabu fought each other. Her body currently felt too numb for her to move, so all she could do was watch; a part of her thought of crawling to her DiaDhank, but she knew that summoning Vennominaga could be risky. Unless that's what her mind told her to think...

The black dragon glided through the sky and opened its mouth, raining fire and burning heat down onto the village of El-Isfet. The Desert Children were immune to the heat, but the villagers were not so lucky; they perished instantly.

Haku had pulled the bodies of Akuma and Kira out of the way, checking their pulses. They were barely alive. The scribe understood that this wasn't a good sign; they would likely die in a short space of time. Something had to be done before they breathed their last breath.

Kubui ran over to Haku, Kekku following close behind. "What happened?" he asked. "What happened to Akuma and Kiro? They were alright a few moments ago."

Haku gave them both a sad stare, not even wanting to answer. They both seemed horrified, but Kekku was the first to scowl.

"This all happened because of that creep, Akefia!" he snapped. "The moment he left, this happened! I bet he was working for Apophis all along!"

"Now's not the time for blaming anybody," Haku told him quietly. "We must defeat the Desert Children before this village falls."

"Our chances look slim," Kubui admitted. "The leader already reached Nefertari."

"We can still win," Haku assured. "We can save the queen and we can take down that dragon, then we'll have the upper hand."

"I'll go after the leader," Kekku volunteered. "He's my brother. I'll save the queen from him. I'll defeat him."

"Kekku, it's too dangerous to go alone," Kubui responded, worry evident in his voice.

"Stay with Haku," Kekku commanded. "Do what he tells you. Protect the villagers and defeat that dragon. Sabu is mine to deal with."

Kubui seemed to hesitate, but sadly nodded his head. "Be careful," he muttered. Kekku simply flashed a grin at him.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," he assured. And with that said, the freckle-faced young man ran away through the chaos in the blood-covered streets of El-Isfet, heading towards his younger sibling.

Sabu was still busy with his duel against Akuto. For a mere bandit without any magical power on his side Akuto was doing quite while; he had pulled out his golden throwing knives and had stuck them into Sabu, and he had also used his sword to slice him a few times. However, no wound was hindering Sabu at all. He only seemed motivated to dispose of Akuto even more.

Nefertari was still only sat watching the fight, but she caught sight of Kekku running closer. She did not stare for long, not wanting to give away his position, but Sabu already sensed him coming. The young teen pulled out Akuto's golden knives, which had been digging into his flesh, and threw them at the bandit before kicking him to the ground. Now his attention was on his brother.

"Why are you here, big brother?" he asked quietly.

"I'm not letting Apophis get what he wants!" Kekku shot back at him, taking out two daggers.

"You're too late," Sabu revealed coldly. "Nefertari is now carrying the spirit of Apophis. In due time, Apophis will emerge from her body and he will bring an end to this world."

"No!" Kekku shouted. "I won't let any of that happen!" He ran towards his brother, yelling with rage as he jumped up and tackles him. Sabu reduced to sand once again, but as he appeared behind Kekku Akuto threw his sword at him. The blade went through his side and this time seemed to injure him.

Kekku used this time to turn around and kick Sabu in the chest, knocking him onto his back. He looked to Akuto with his dark purple eyes. "Get the queen out of here!" he barked. "Keep her safe until we eliminate this threat, then she will reward you with your freedom!"

"You cannot face him alone," Akuto reminded, but his words meant nothing to Kekku.

"Just get Nefertari outta here, Akuto!" the pale man ordered. Akuto frowned but nodded his head, running to Nefertari and lifting her up. Nefertari stared at Kekku with weak eyes as she was taken away from Sabu, worried that something could happen to her companion. She watched him engage in combat with his sibling once again, and he did not seem to be the dominant fighter. Sabu had the powers of magic while all Kekku had were his blades and poisons, but neither attack method seemed to affect Sabu. All Nefertari could do was watch as Sabu beat his brother to the ground.

Further into the village, the dragon had unleashed another Inferno Blast upon the citizens. Safira and Anku watched with growing concern, both of them then turning to look at Servus.

"Servus," Anku spoke up. "Do you have any memories in your mind?"

"I have nothing," Servus whimpered. "I'm trying, and I feel like something is trying to reach me but... I just cannot grasp it!"

"We're running out of time," Safira announced. "We must do something, Anku!"

"We cannot do anything," Anku told her, sounding surprisingly relaxed. "The ritual cannot go on with two people."

"Yes, it can," Safira told him firmly. "There is another way to summon the Queen of Dragons." Anku frowned slightly.

"I know the method in your mind," he told her.

"Good," Safira replied. "Servus cannot remember who he is. He cannot help us. That dragon will destroy the village and kill everyone in a mere matter of minutes. Something must be done."

"Once you do this you know there is no going back," Anku reminded, but Safira did not seem to care.

"The black dragon has taken enough lives," she stated. "Let us see what happens when it meets its queen."

Anku stared at her, but being the apathetic person he was he chose to nod his head. "Very well," he said before turning to Servus. "Go and find Haku. Protect the people from the Desert Children; I will help Safira unleash the Queen of Dragons."

Servus had sad eyes. "What's going to happen to her?" he asked sadly.

"What happens to her is her choice," Anku replied simply. "She chose to do this, Servus."

"But..." Servus began before being interrupted.

"There is no time for discussion," Anku said. "Find Haku and anyone else. Kubui. Akuto. Anyone who can fight and protect the citizens."

Servus hesitated but his sad expression hardened slightly as he nodded, running to find Haku so that he could do what he had been told to do.

Anku turned back to Safira and held his wand up. "Are you ready for this, Safira?" he asked her.

"I'm as ready as I will ever be, Anku," Safira responded, a sad smile on her face.

Anku's wand began to glow. "Then here it goes," he murmured before raising his bright wand. "I call upon the gods! I call upon my Heka and the Heka of Safira! I offer the Ba energy of Safira to bring forth the Queen of Dragons so that it may protect El-Isfet and destroy these invaders!"

Safira's body began to glow, brighter and brighter before suddenly she exploded into a mass of sparks. Anku had to shield his black and orange eyes from the sight to avoid being blinded, afraid that his spell had not worked, but when he returned his gaze to where Safira once stood her saw a shadow. Lifting his head, Anku noticed a blue humanoid dragon with large wings and golden armour.

This was her. The Queen of Dragons.

Not only that, but this dragon was also Safira. Now she had become the Queen of Dragons, and she forever would have her soul within this beast.

Safira let out a roar and flapped her wings, flying towards the black dragon. The scene was witnessed by everyone, and even the Desert Children had to stop to gaze at the two creatures.

Servus, Haku and Kubui were working together to help the citizens escape to the palace. Akuto had taken Nefertari there already where she currently sat on her knees beside her two fallen friends, Akuma and Kiro.

"This is my fault," she muttered in a sorrowful tone. "I couldn't protect them."

"Don't blame yourself," Akuto grumbled. "They were fighting and they had their soul beasts destroyed by that dragon; it was just unfortunate. Battles don't have happy endings no matter whose side you're on."

Nefertari slowly lifted her head, tears in her eyes but her expression strong. "No," she growled. "There's a way I can save them." Akuto only narrowed his eyes.

"I wouldn't be trying anything if I were you," Akuto warned. "It might just be Apophis taking over your mind."

"I do not feel him," Nefertari clarified. "I know that I am still me; my mind is strong and will not succumb to the control of others." She gently clasped her hands around Kiro's sceptre and Akuma's scythe. "Mahad taught me a few advanced magic tricks when I still lived in the Capital," she announced. "It is possible to bind the Ba and the Ka together, fusing an individual with their monster. I can do that to save them."

"Sounds risky," Akuto warned again. Nefertari frowned up at him.

"You are in no position to tell me what I should and shouldn't do," she reminded him, closing her eyes. "Now let me focus."

The green jewel at the end of Kiro's sceptre began to glow. The whole of Akuma's scythe did the same. Nefertari began to chant an Egyptian prayer under her breath as Akuto watched with curiosity, raising his eyebrow when watching the two bodies begin to glow and levitate. From their weapons came their reconstructed monsters which then began to fuse with their masters, but the effects weren't what Nefertari had predicted. Electric sparks shot from their bodies and dark shadows seemed to envelope them. Akuto had to take a few steps back, staring at Nefertari and then at the two creatures which started to form before his eyes.

And then, when the darkness and the sparks faded away, two new individuals stood there with their eyes closed.

The first to open her eyes was Kiro, who still wore her golden Egyptian armour. This time, however, she had piercings and a tiara, along with a golden dragon necklace around her neck. Her black hair had become red halfway down and on her back unfolded a pair of demonic wings. Her eyes, too, had become red, her lips were now black and in her hand she gripped her sceptre.

Akuma opened her eyes next. Her eyes were a crimson red and she wore armour similar to Kiro's, although less conservative if that were even possible. Black angel-like wings unfolded from her back, though her golden hair remained untouched. She was gripping her scythe, which now glowed with a dark and ominous aura. A pendant was around her neck and a sadistic grin was on her face.

"My my, dear sister, doesn't the village look fun tonight?" Akuma mused, looking at Kiro.

"It does indeed, sister," Kiro grinned. Akuma looked at her, still grinning.

"Shall we play a game?" she asked. Kiro looked back at her and nodded.

"We shall," she answered. Akuma chuckled lowly, looking outside to see the fight between the black dragon and the dragon queen.

"This village is done for," she said. "Let us destroy the Capital!"

Kiro smiled even more. "That sounds like a wonderful suggestion," she responded.

The two winged girls laughed in a wicked manner, breaking out of the palace walls as they flew in the direction of Egypt's Capital.

"Oh no..." Nefertari gasped in pure horror. "No... No, this cannot be happening!"

"Your powers are corrupted," Akuto told her coldly. "Apophis is using your powers now. I did warn you."

"We must stop them!" Nefertari cried. "We have to do something!"

"First we have to save your village from those Desert Children I warned you about," Akuto growled. "You're useless for now; stay here. I will help bring your people into this palace."

Nefertari could only watch him leave. She did not feel like a queen anymore; Akuto's words had not insulted her, for they carried some truth to them. There was nothing she could do now that Apophis was feasting on her soul, but the strangest part of it was that she did not feel anything at all...

Was something else inside her hosting the soul instead?

 _..._

Sabu stared up at the fight between his Ka and Safira. For once he showed some emotion: anger.

"Red-Eyes!" he called out. "Destroy the dragon queen with Inferno Blast! Unleash the attack! Now!"

Kekku tackled Sabu and pinned him to the ground. "You've lost, Sabu!" he yelled. "Your Ka is losing to the Queen of Dragons!"

"Nothing can defeat my dragon!" Sabu shot back, watching the fight with fury as he attempted to wriggle out of his older brother's grasp. Kekku grit his teeth, keeping a firm grip on Sabu as he glanced back up at the fight.

The Queen of Dragons used her clawed hands to wound the black dragon. She was swift to evade its Inferno Blast attack, flying behind it and tearing its wings so that it fell. As Red-Eyes let out a screech, the dragon queen used her power to obliterate the beast in one final blow.

As the beast exploded, Sabu felt a pain in his chest. He let out a scream of pain as if he had been fatally wounded. Seeing that he was weak, Kekku took out his daggers and raised them, but he suddenly started to hesitate. This was his brother. His beloved little brother. There was no way he could kill him.

Sabu scowled up at Kekku through his pain. "You're weak," he snarled. "You should never hesitate in a fight!"

It was at that moment that Sabu thrust his own concealed blade deep into Kekku's chest, cutting straight into his heart. Kekku let out a sharp gasp, freezing as he remained straddled on his younger brother's chest.

His eyes were wide. He knew that this wound was fatal. He knew that his time was coming.

"Sabu..." he croaked. "...You're... You're... an idiot..." Sabu did not expect to feel both of Kekku's daggers plunging into his own chest, and now that he was weak he could not heal. He could not turn to sand to avoid the attack. What was even colder was the twisting and turning of the two blades. Sabu stared up at Kekku with dying grey eyes, realising that his older brother was, like him, someone who had been broken and toyed with.

"We could've... shared... this life..." Kekku panted before flopping onto his side. Sabu made no attempt to move, for the two wounds to his chest were the end of him.

"A life... of slavery..." the younger foreigner spat. Kekku shook his head.

"You're... the one... who'll die... a slave..." he spluttered. He smiled sadly, however, and saw his brother turn his head to look at him with his glazed eyes.

"...Apophis... will still... be... reborn..." Sabu reminded painfully. Kekku shook his head.

"Not my problem now... heh heh heh..." he replied. His hand reached for Sabu's and gripped it tightly. "Wonder... what... the afterlife... is like..."

Sabu was about to pull his hand away, but decided against it. What was the point? Here they were, two dying brothers, who had been reunited in such a twisted scenario.

"...Pretty..." the young teen answered, raising his free hand. "...Light..."

A tear dripped down Kekku's cheek. "I'll... see ya there..." he whispered.

Sabu never got up from the sand ever again.

Kekku, a man who had spent too long being miserable and insane after a life of loneliness, labour and grief, smiled as he breathed his last breath.

Their fighting was over.

 _..._

The Desert Children stood and stared as the sun started to rise. This was abnormal behaviour for them; they could not survive in the day, yet here they were, waiting for it to come. Their job was done. Their leader was dead.

So, when the sunlight hit the village, the Desert Children all dissolved into a pile of sand for a final time.

Blood was everywhere. Bodies were everywhere. Buildings had been destroyed. The Queen of Dragons, including Safira's soul, had vanished after the black dragon was defeated. It had served its purpose.

Nefertari remained in her palace, muttering yet another Egyptian prayer with her eyes closed and tears staining her cheeks. She was trying to call back the spirits of Akuma and Kiro to seal them away, but her useless chant was interrupted by Haku. The two met eyes silently, a solemn expression on Haku's face, until Nefertari chose to speak up.

"How many are dead?" she asked. Haku shook his head in a shaky manner.

"Too many," he replied. "Men, women and children. We did everything we could but..."

"Bury them," Nefertari commanded. "Bury them properly, Haku. Get Kubui and Kekku and Servus to help your."

Haku shook his head again. "Kekku is dead," he announced. Nefertari's eyes went wide, but no tears appeared. She had wasted them all, and no doubt Apophis was tired of seeing her weep. Kekku had been a dear friend of Nefertari's for quite some time, but after a night like this... she could not say she was surprised to lose someone.

Besides, she had to focus on retrieving Akuma and Kiro. She knew that she was banned from the Capital, but she had to stop them; once the Capital was destroyed they'd eventually return to El-Isfet to do the same.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	26. Chapter XXVI

**~Chapter XXVI~**

Mahad walked through the streets of the city with Seto at his side.

"The Pharaoh is sick," Seto announced. "I fear that his time is coming."

"Do you think Atem is ready for the throne?" Mahad queried.

"He must be," Seto replied. "Otherwise Egypt may become subject to invaders again."

"When we become his High Priests, we will protect him," Mahad reminded. "And we will advise him if he ever needs our help."

Seto turned to face Mahad as he walked. "Do you know which item has chosen you?" he asked. Mahad nodded, a somewhat sad look on his face.

"The Millennium Ring," he answered.

"Hmph," Seto reacted. "The one wielded by Nefertari's father."

"Yes," Mahad nodded. "It would have been hers if she remained loyal to the throne."

"She was corrupted," Seto told him.

"Of course," Mahad nodded in agreement. While he sounded certain in his words, his expression seemed saddened; he grew up with Nefertari and believed he was close to her, but looking back he could see that she was always a distant person. Though... she also wasn't entirely evil.

A scream was heard, causing both men to come to a halt. Seto reached for the hilt of his sword, gritting his teeth, while Mahad took a few steps forwards. A woman ran towards the pair, looking terrified.

"Please!" she pleaded. "You must help! Nefertari's advisors... they're attacking the city!"

"Akuma and Kiro?" Mahad questioned to himself. Seto frowned hatefully.

"So she's now using violence against the city," the apprentice assumed. "We must defeat her advisors, then we will pay the Queen of Outcasts a visit!"

Mahad almost seemed bothered by the thought of going after Nefertari, but he didn't hesitate. He ran ahead, with Seto just behind him, following the sounds of screams, blasts and laughter. People could be seen running in fear as an inn burst into flames, and emerging from the fire was Kiro as she flew up to Akuma's side.

"Have we finished warming up yet, sister?" the woman with black and red hair asked.

"You've turned up the heat, but let's play some more before we attack the palace," Akuma answered. Kiro pouted at her words but Akuma grinned, glancing down at Seto and Mahad. "Let's play with them, shall we?"

"What's happened to them?" Seto asked Mahad, keeping his eyes locked onto the two women. "They're neither themselves or their Ka!"

"No," Mahad agreed. "They fused with their Ka. A trick only I know." The spellcaster narrowed his eyes slightly. "The only other person who knew about such a trick was Nefertari, and that is because she learned from me."

"She merged her advisors with their monsters," Seto hissed. "Such a vile act from a vile woman."

Akuma floated down, almost landing on the sand to face them. "Hello, boys," she greeted. "How about we play a game? A little game I like to call 'Snap'?" She suddenly appeared right in front of them, her face almost touching Mahad's. "It's where I snap you both like little twigs. The winner screams the loudest."

Seto shoved Akuma away from Mahad, pointing his sword at her. "Back down, you vile wench, or I shall cut you down and butcher the rest of your kind!" Akuma merely burst out laughing.

"Ahaha! Oh, you are a funny little man!" she chortled before her laughter died down to a mere smirk. "There are no other beings like us anywhere."

"There are always monsters like you lurking in Egypt," Seto announced. "And your queen is one of them."

"Haha!" Kiro laughed. "We have no queen anymore!"

"We live by our own rules," Akuma added, raising her scythe. "We kneel to no one!"

"Not even each other!" Kiro giggled as she raised her sceptre. She struck Seto with a blast of green lightning, pushing him back but not knocking him down. However, a low growl and a grimace showed that he had been hurt.

"Seto!" Mahad reacted before scowling. "You fiends... You will not get away with any of this!" The young man raised his wand and chanted a spell, one which was supposed to freeze the pair, but they were immune to the attack. This left Mahad in shock.

Seto, having recovered from his injury, charged forwards and yelled as he attempted to strike Akuma, but she simply flew up into the air to join her non-related sister.

"Cowardly dogs!" Seto shouted up at them both. "Come down and face us in an honourable manner!"

"We don't need honour," Akuma chuckled. "In a true battle you fight with everything you have at your disposal!"

Mahad raised his hand, and on his wrist his DiaDhank glowed. "Illusion Magician! Come forth and defeat these creatures of darkness!" His command was heard by his Ka, which emerged and used its own Dark Magic Attack on Akuma, but she simply used her scythe to deflect the blast.

"Poor little Mahad," Akuma sympathized falsely. "You have no idea what you're up against, do you? Allow me to show you!" She swooped down and raised her weapon before digging it deep into Mahad's chest. Mahad gasped at the stinging sensation, believing this moment to be his last as darkness engulfed him.

But he found himself not losing consciousness; instead he appeared in an alternate environment. Alone.

He glanced around at the shadows which vaguely resembled the palace courtyard. He had no idea why he was here, but his heart started racing when he heard the loud and echoed hissing of what must have been a large snake. His assumptions were confirmed when out of the shadows slithered a large asp, bigger than him, only growing in height when it reared up and gazed down at him with red eyes.

Other venomous snakes slithered around him, circling him. He was trapped. Mahad tried to draw out his wand, but he didn't have one anymore. He had nothing to defend himself with. All he could do was stand there, surrounded by the very creatures which made him tremble. One snake bite had almost killed him in his youth, but Prince Atem saved his life. Now he really disliked them; not only because of the bite, but also because of Nefertari. He feared her wrath. He feared her power. Everyone did; she had power unlike any individual living in Egypt, obviously because of her evil heart.

The reptiles closed in, but the large one trapped Mahad in its jaw and dug its fangs into him. Mahad let out a wail of agony, trying to free himself from the maw of this beast but failing. As he screamed, however, he heard the echoed laughter of Akuma.

"Does it hurt, Mahad?" the voice asked. "I can sense your fear. I can feel your pain."

Mahad snarled and looked around but saw no sign of Akuma, but he couldn't focus on searching for her for long due to the growing pain in his body. Poison was spreading and those fangs were digging deeper into his flesh and bones.

"This is your soul room," Akuma explained. "This is where you deepest and darkest fears reside, and I can use them to my disposal to destroy you from the inside!"

An illusion. That was it. None of this was real; these were just illusions. If Mahad could beat them then he could escape this nightmare and return to the fight.

"You should not... play tricks... on a spellcaster..." he warned through grit teeth. "I... do not... fear... your... shadows...!"

If Akuma could use magic here then so could he. None of this was really happening, so anything could occur. His wand appeared in his hand and he cried out to his Ka: "Illusion Magician! Illuminate the darkness!"

The Illusion Magician waved its own wand, casting the shadows aside to reveal the palace courtyard and Akuma herself. Akuma glowered, appearing to be highly irritated at Mahad's resistance.

"You pest," she spat. "You will drown in darkness!"

"No," Mahad refused. "You will!" He looked to his Illusion Magician. "Fuse with me, Illusion Magician! Let us use the same magic she is using so that we can defeat her!"

Illusion Magician seemed to fly into him, causing a flash of light. The large snake hissed and shrieked, throwing its head from side to side as it suddenly burst into beams of light, and there, in the bright flames from the snake's corpse, floated the enhanced Mahad. He grasped Illusion Magician's large wand and gave Akuma a challenging stare, ready to use Illusion Magician's powers with his own hands.

 _..._

Nefertari rode towards the Capital on horseback, not having told anyone about her sudden departure. She had to stop Akuma and Kiro before they did too much damage, and she was better off accomplishing the task alone.

She didn't want to kill them. They were once her friends. One day they may remember that.

There was something else she planned to do.

 _..._

Kiro fired another bolt of green electrical energy towards Seto, but he dived to the side to avoid the attack. He could do nothing to save Mahad; he was trapped in a spiral of dark energy and appeared to be frozen. Same for Akuma, who still had her scythe digging into his chest. All Seto could do was focus on defeating Kiro.

"Give up now, throne-lover!" the winged woman taunted. "You stand no chance against me, for I am no ordinary human like you!"

"I was trained to protect the Pharaoh and his son," Seto growled. "I have been taught how to destroy powerful monsters, so do not underestimate me!"

"All talk and nothing else," Kiro mocked, grinning. "I could destroy you right now if I wanted to, but I think you should live long enough to watch your wizard friend return to consciousness as a broken man."

Seto's eyes widened and he turned to Mahad, then returning a hateful gaze to Kiro. "He is powerful," he argued. "He will defeat Akuma, and I will defeat you!" He held up his hand, revealing his DiaDhank. It began to glow, and the priest apprentice called out: "Galestgoras! I summon you to protect the people and defeat this fiend!"

Far away, a beam of light illuminated the already-bright sky, and then landed between Seto and Kiro. A large lizard appeared and roared up at the woman, large enough to reach up and swat her out of the sky. Not expecting the move, Kiro crashed down to the ground. However, she was quick to recovered and spread her wings, floating back up into the air.

"Good move, but not good enough!" she reacted, pointing her glowing sceptre at the large beast. She hurled a ball of lightning at the reptile, but it was not enough to fully destroy is. So, as a second attack, Kiro charged up an electrical ball of energy and fired it at Galestgoras' head, eliminating the beast. The destruction of Galestgoras weakened Seto himself, causing Kiro to snicker.

"You don't look so proud and mighty now," she pointed out. "You look like a weak dog!"

Seto had to think about his next move; was it safe to bring out another beast?

 _..._

Mahad sent a wave of knives hurling towards Akuma. She attempted to use her wings to defend herself, but they were sharp and pierced her. Akuma fired sharp feathers in retaliation, but Mahad easily destroyed them. The spellcaster then flew towards her and grabbed her.

"Take us out of this world!" he bellowed. The world around them faded away and the pair of them glowed, thus returning them to reality.

 _..._

Nefertari, now off her horse, ran towards the commotion. "AKUMA!" she roared. "KIRO! YOU WILL BRING NO MORE HARM TO THESE PEOPLE!"

The four fighters all turned to look at her. Nefertari paid no attention to Seto and Mahad, focusing only on Kiro and Akuma. The two females merely started to cackle.

"You are powerless against us, little princess!" Akuma teased.

"I created you," Nefertari reminded. "I am..." The woman's eyes flashed green, appearing like viper eyes for a split second. "YOUR GOD!"

On the ground around her, a circle began to glow. A magic circle, but not one anyone but Mahad was familiar with. It belonged to the Forbidden God of Chaos, Apophis.

"She's possessed..." the young spellcaster murmured under his breath, eyes wide. Seto had heard his words.

"You do not deserve death," Nefertari told the two corrupted women, "but you cannot continue on like this! To protect everyone, including yourselves, you will be sealed away within your items, never to return to this world as your corrupted selves!"

Akuma and Kiro looked at each other before feeling their items grow in power. A strong force seemed to be sucking them into their respective weapons.

"No!" Akuma shrieked. "This cannot happen! I must win this game!"

"We have not yet shed any blood!" Kiro added. But their words were hopeless; they were dragged into their own items, and both the scythe and the sceptre fell to the ground. No item was glowing anymore.

The circle beneath Nefertari's feet faded away and she fell to her knees, panting tiredly. Seto gave her a cruel glare, pointing his sword at her.

"Nefertari of Outcasts, you are under arrest!" he announced. Mahad looked at him.

"Seto, she sealed them away," he said. "She saved the city!"

"She's possessed," Seto countered. "I heard you say it yourself. Besides, she created those amalgams. We cannot let someone with her power defy the Pharaoh any longer!"

Mahad knew he was right. Nefertari was possessed by Apophis, the worst deity out there. His spirit was waiting to be released, and Nefertari would be the one to release it.

She had to die.

Nefertari heard Seto's words and lifted her head, watching him walk towards her. She had no plans to die today so quickly staggered back up to her feet, stumbling backwards before breaking into a sprint.

"After her!" Seto yelled. "Assemble the guards! Do not let Nefertari leave the city!"

But it was too late. Nefertari had already mounted her horse and had fled the city, but she was not heading back to El-Isfet. She could not return there as a wanted woman; she had to hide. Alone.

 _..._

Kubui was sitting by Kekku's burial spot which had been marked by a mount. For once the charming former thief had tears in his two eyes. Normally he was only blind in one, but the tears caused his remaining good eye to be blurry. Kekku was like a brother to him. Together those two were impossivle to separate. They had their manly squabbles, but together they could just be guys. And now he was gone, buried beside his younger sibling who had honestly been dead for years due to how much Apophis had changed him.

Servus, who had already been crying, approached Kubui and sat beside him. "I miss him," the teal-haired boy whimpered. "Together... all of us... We were friends. We were a group. Haku, you, Kekku and I... we were the four protectors of El-Isfet. Kekku was the strange young man who made the darkness lighter... He was crazy, and that's what we all loved about him... and now... he's..."

"He's with his family now," Kubui finished for him, refusing to let his tears escape. "Besides, he's probably looking at us with disgust right now." The partially-blinded man turned and smiled sadly at Servus. "That's why I'm gonna keep smiling. Kekku knew me as the man who made both women and men swoon; even some of the Pharaoh's guards were hesitant to harm me back in my days as a street thief in the Capital. Kekku wouldn't want me to cry for him; I know that if I was the dead one he'd be kicking my burial mound and calling me every name created by the gods."

Servus almost giggled, but he wasn't as strong as Kubui. He was weak. He was nothing but a weak slave boy.

Kubui clambered up to his feet and stretched. "Well, I'm gonna do some chores," he said. "I'll go get some water, and later I'll get some food from the Capital without paying; even if I wanted to pay I'd only be recognized and arrested."

The black-haired man ruffled Servus' hair before bidding him farewell and walking away, leaving Servus to tremble beside the two burial mounds.

"I'm sorry, Kekku..." he wavered, tears starting to roll down his cheeks again. "I couldn't remember who I was quick enough. If I had known my identity from the start, I would have destroyed the dragon before you even confronted your brother."

He closed his eyes, sniffling a little as he tried to restrain himself. "Anku, Safira and I... are the last survivors from a village of spellcasters destroyed by the Pharaoh long ago..." he revealed, trying to force a smile. "I-I bet you never knew that, d-did you, Kekku...? You never knew that... Servus... was actually... the son of... one of the greatest spellcasters... And my cousin... is Mahad's apprentice... Mana... that girl who is friend's with Aknamkanon's son, Atem..." He wiped his eyes a little. "Servus... was no name... and you knew that, didn't you? It was just a title from a foreign land given to me to represent my status as a servant... and I bet you came from a land which spoke the tongue my slave name came from... My real name... is... Tauren... I-I hope... you can hear me... so that... when we see each other again... You'll call me by my true name... A-And I hope... by then... I won't be a weak person in your eyes... I hope... I'll be a strong spellcaster... A-And I promise... I will always remember you until I see you in the afterlife... If I ever have any children I will name one after you..."

Servus, or Tauren, doubted himself. How could someone like him like children? He never wanted to be with a woman. But, if he could not honour Kekku with a child named after him, then he would have a statue of him built in El-Isfet. He would name his wand, which Anku had returned to him, after Kekku. And, when the buildings in the village were rebuilt, his home would be reconstructed in his memory as a sanctuary for the other villagers.

While everyone else worked on restoring the village, Akuto stood by the outskirts on the back of a horse. The queen had not returned, but that was not his problem. He did not belong here, he was brought here as a prisoner after his gang of bandits attacked the village in an attempt to capture the queen. But he had no intent on return to his thieving ways. His group was dead, and that was the only group he would ever work for. They were like his family.

Akuto glanced back at El-Isfet one last time before riding away into the desert. He believed that nobody saw him, but Haku had. And, being the merciful man he was, he let him go. It was for the best.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	27. Chapter XXVII

**~Chapter XXVII~**

 _The Capital, 9 months after the Desert Children attack_

Nefertari had been brought before Pharaoh Aknamkanon after being caught by some of the Pharaoh's soldiers.

"Nefertari," Aknamkanon greeted to the kneeling woman. "The Queen of Outcasts. You have been on the run for quite some time after what you did." The self-proclaimed queen did not respond, instead deciding to glare hatefully up at the Pharaoh.

"You turned your two advisors into killer predators," Aknamkanon continued. "Mahad and Seto witnessed you using the black magic of Apophis, the Forbidden God. What do you have to say to this?"

She said nothing.

"This woman is clearly full of evil!" Aknadin accused. "She is possessed by Apophis! He must be removed from her!"

"Do you see Apophis within her, Master Aknadin?" asked Mahad. The elder priest looked into Nefertari's soul, but to his surprise, there was no sign of Apophis.

"She has already released Apophis," he revealed with horror. "And there is still evil within her; her Ka is strong, and I see another beast in the shadows of her soul."

"Another beast?" High Priest Shimon gasped. "But that is not possible!" Aknamkanon closed his eyes thoughtfully.

"Shimon," he commanded, "take my son to his chambers, then return here to the throne room. We must perform a Millennium Trial."

The words brought shock into the large room.

"Another trial?" Shimon gasped. "But Nefertari has already been trialled in the past! A second could kill her!"

"I know," Aknamkanon admitted. "And by exorcising two beasts, she will definitely die by the end of it."

Shimon looked shocked, but he knew not to question the Pharaoh. He led young Atem out of the room; this was something he had witnessed before, but this trial was going to be extreme.

Outside, standing on some columns not far from the palace, was the thief who had once tried to rob her. He stood staring at the palace; in a tavern nearby he had heard some citizens talking about the capture of the Queen of Outcasts, which is what led to him standing in this position.

She was going to die in there. His Diabound was strong, but he knew that it wasn't strong enough to face the Pharaoh and his priests. He would most likely end up dying, too, but he could not be certain. There was a chance that he could run into the palace and save Nefertari. He could give up this delusion of destroying the Capital and he could return with her to El-Isfet, or perhaps even another village where nobody would disturb them.

But, there was still the possibility of failure. However, he knew that letting her die would guarantee him strength. His Diabound would grow more powerful because of his hatred and anger for the Pharaoh.

The thief was clutching the golden snake bracelet which Nefertari had given him. He could use this to call forth Diabound. But... looking at it reminded him of Nefertari's words. He was not supposed to think of her, but instead of his desire for revenge. He wanted to avenge his people. And, after today's events, he was going to also avenge Nefertari.

Within the palace, Nefertari kept her head bowed while her hands were bound behind her back. She remained on her knees, with two stone tablets on either side of her, ready to absorb both of her dominant Ka.

Since Nefertari's father had passed, his place had to be taken by Mahad. The Millennium Ring had chosen him, and this day would mark one of Mahad's first days serving the throne under an official title. He gave Nefertari a vacant stare, and she didn't even return his gaze.

It didn't take long for a harrowing scream to be heard coming from the palace, causing Akefia to clench his fists and bite down on his lip. Vennominaga had been forced out of her body.

Even though she was already on her knees, Nefertari collapsed onto her front. She desperately tried to catch her breath but sounded as if she was struggling to take in air.

Mahad stepped forward, holding up his new Millennium Ring. "It's not over," he announced, though he didn't sound keen to continue. "There is still one more beast."

Nefertari managed to turn her head a little, looking outside of the throne room. She could see, not too far in the distance, a man standing atop some columns. A weak smiled formed on her face; that was her thief. He wasn't coming for her. While that thought broke her heart and brought tears to her eyes, she was also proud of him. Akefia had listened to her all those months ago. He knew that he had to strengthen his Ka to defeat the Pharaoh and avenge his people. Now, as a bitter young woman bearing ill-will towards the throne, Nefertari hoped that he demise would give him enough strength to destroy the entire city.

Akefia had decided that he didn't need to be here anymore. He had to wait a little longer before destroying the Capital. His Diabound needed to be trained.

So he turned on his heal and jumped from the columns, running through the city without drawing much attention to himself. It broke his heart to leave Nefertari behind, but it had to be done. Sacrifices had to be made if he wanted to reach his goal.

Nefertari's body now lay lifeless in the middle of the throne room, the second beast having just been pulled out of her. It resembled a man. A human. It had white hair and held a staff, wearing a black cloak. This Ka was confusing to everyone within the room, but it was still sealed into the second stone slab; the creature would then be known as Gravekeeper's Heretic.

"It is done," Aknamkanon announced. Some of his guards heaved the stone slabs from the throne room. Mahad, whom had been staring at Nefertari's body with a solemn expression, turned to face the Pharaoh and knelt before him.

"Pharaoh, may I have permission to give Nefertari a proper burial?" he requested. Aknamkanon paused for a moment before nodding his head.

"Bury her in a secluded spot," he commanded, "but her burial chamber must be proper. She was the daughter of a respected High Priest and she was seen as a queen."

Mahad nodded his head and stood up, walking over to Nefertari and lifting up her body. He was baffled as to why Apophis was no longer within her; something about her possession was off from the start. There must have been something else inside her, but what?

The question didn't remain in Mahad's mind for too long as he gently lifted Nefertari's body into his arms. She was a tough woman, but he still grew up with her and saw her as a friend. In a way he admired her for making her choice to be independent, but at the same time he saw her independence as idiotic. She would still be alive if she had remained loyal to the Pharaoh, and if anyone had tried to harm her or force Apophis' spirit into her, he would have kept her safe.

 _..._

 _One year later, Nefertari's Tomb, Egypt_

Akefia had found the small tomb belonging to Nefertari, which was buried beneath the sand far away from any spots of civilisation. He broke ito the tomb; nobody was guarding it for a number of reasons: the tomb was not in the Valley of Kings or other burial sites and today was the day of Atem's coronation. Everybody was in the city.

The thief entered the dark tomb, stepping into the burial chamber. He was used to the darkness now, so he could see just fine. On the wall he could see paintings dedicated to Nefertari, meaning that someone who cared about her had constructed this tomb. But this person clearly didn't know about him, meaning that it was not someone from El-Isfet.

Akefia wanted Nefertari to remember him in the afterlife. That is why he painted an image of himself on the wall; an image of him watching her about to meet her doom. Forever he would curse himself for not rescuing her, but he did not want to be forgotten. Not by her. Not by anybody.

The young man approached Nefertari's sarcophagus and sat upon it, his facial expression as empty as always.

"You're lucky to even have a tomb constructed for you," he told the coffin. "Even if only few people are aware of its location, you are a very lucky woman. I will not be buried in such a manner." He held up the golden snake bracelet. "This is yours," he told her. "I do not want it anymore. Keep it; give it back to me when you see me again in the afterlife. It is now your turn to have this bracelet as a reminder that I will see you again no matter what. I will do anything, even after death, to find you. We will be reunited again... my queen."

Akefia placed the bracelet among her other treasures, still refusing to show any emotion. He chose to stand in the tomb for a little too long, however, for outside he could hear men. Guards. He was about to take back the bracelet to use it one last time, but some guards had already come into the tomb and grabbed him, roughly dragging him back out into the sunlight and throwing him before two guards who stood holding ropes.

"Looks like High Priestess Isis was right," one said with a grin. "There was a thief looking to use this day as an excuse to grave rob."

Akefia could only scowl up at them, not even bothering to resist as they bound his neck with the rope and cuffed his wrists and ankles. Two guards were sent to report back to the Capital while the other two mounted their horses, one holding the rope like a leash and dragging the thief through the desert.

But just as the blazing heat was beginning to get to Akefia, after having to walk for miles with no water and no rest...

Zorc began to dominate his mind.

 _..._

 _Valley of Kings, a few nights later_

Akefia, now wearing the red robe of the deceased Pharaoh Aknamkanon, had fallen into Mahad's trap. He now had no choice but to face him in a duel.

"Only one of us can leave alive," Mahad reminded him. "There is a stone slab outside, and your Diabound will be trapped within it.

Akefia grinned and scoffed in response. "Tch! You really are a fool," he insulted. "No stone slab could hold my Diabout before, and now it has only grown stronger!"

"I do not intend to let you live, thief," Mahad revealed. "Your Diabound will be trapped because you will die, therefore it cannot be a part of your soul."

"You truly do underestimate my Diabound!" Akefia laughed. "It has been strengthened by my own anger and hatred ever since I was a mere child; surely you understand what that means for you!"

"I do not know what makes you so evil, thief, but tonight you will die here," Mahad declared. Akefia's grin suddenly faded into a hateful frown.

"My village was destroyed by men like you," he snarled. "My people were sacrificed so that you could wield those Millennium Items I so desperately want. I, too, had to make sacrifices to become stronger." A sly smirk crossed his face. "I was helped by your beloved Nefertari; I should thank you for killing her, for my Diabound grew so much that day."

Hearing her name made Mahad clench his fists, his eyes widening as he glared at Akefia. "Silence," he hissed. "You have no right to speak of the dead!"

"I will speak about the dead all I want," Akefia stated, wafting his hand to the side dramatically. "I'm here to avenge the dead! My people have been dead for a very long time, but I will not let them be forgotten! And Nefertari deserves to be avenged, as well!"

"Lies, you never cared for Nefertari," Mahad growled. Akefia laughed again, clearly sounding like he was made of pure evil.

"Foolish priest!" he mocked. "I was by her side before you took her life. I protected her more than you ever did. If she were here now, she would be fighting you beside me."

"Enough!" Mahad bellowed, raising his DiaDhank. "I will not be tormented by you, thief! You will die here!"

Akefia chose to stop talking so that he could proceed with the duel, and in the end, he was the winner.

But Mahad did not die that night. He did what Nefertari failed to do with Akuma and Kiro; he successfully merged his Ka with his Ba to become the Dark Magician.

 _..._

Akefia crawled up the steps towards Kul Elna's altar. Pharaoh Atem had fallen after sealing away Zorc's soul, which also meant that Akefia was now free of his control completely. He hadn't felt like this in a long time, but he couldn't embrace his freedom. He was dying.

"It's over, thief!" Seto yelled at him. "You have been defeated. Zorc has been sealed away at the cost of Atem's life; you cannot defeat us even with all seven of the Millennium Items!"

There was only one more piece which was needed, too, and that was the puzzle. But it had shattered, and it would be thousands of years before it was put back together.

"N...No..." Akefia croaked, collapsing near the top of the stone stairs which led up to the altar. "Cannot... I will not... lose..."

Mahad, now the Dark Magician, floated to his side and emotionlessly pointed his staff at the dying thief. Akefia weakly lifted his head to look at him, coming to terms with the fact that there really was nothing he could do.

Tears started to well up in his eyes. He had failed. Nefertari's death had been for nothing.

Akefia lay on his front, breathing heavily and weakly as his eyes glazed over. He could not look at the Dark Magician anymore.

"Ne...ffy..." he whimpered quietly to himself, knowing that he would soon be joining her in the after life. Mahad stared at him with wide eyes when hearing the name spoken. The thief must have loved her after all, if love was even possible to feel for a man so cruel.

So, at last, Akefia's life was brought to an end with one final Dark Magic Attack. Akefia was flung across the room and his the wall, slumping against the ground lifelessly. However, nobody noticed that the Millennium Ring still around his neck started to glow. Zorc had been sealed within that item, and he absorbed Akefia's soul once he was dead; the dark one was planning to make his return when Akefia was reincarnated.

With Akefia's soul trapped in the ring, this meant that he never joined Nefertari in the afterlife.

And she still waits after five thousand years.

 _..._

The memories were over. Ryo snapped out of his visions with tears leaking down his face. Opposite him he could see Janeiro with the same shocked and tearful expression upon her face.

Without saying any words, Ryo grabbed Janeiro and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her tightly and holding her protectively.

"I'm sorry..." he whimpered. "I am so... so... sorry..."

Janeiro clutched onto him tightly. "You saw it, too..." she wavered. "The Thief King... The Queen of Outcasts..."

"He never robbed her tomb..." Ryo explained shakily. "He was in love with her... but they could not be together..."

"It was forbidden..." Janeiro added. "And as the years went by, they were both forgotten..."

Ryo pulled away, still holding Janeiro by the arms. "We have to try waking up," he stated. "There are still unanswered questions; Rena must have the rest of the answers."

Janeiro nodded her head in agreement. "We solved the riddle she left," she reminded. "The one about the king and the queen who were both evil. It truly was about Akefia and Nefertari, and now... something bad is going to happen because of their tragedy."

"We still do not understand why and how this effects us," Ryo pointed out. "What could possibly be coming back to haunt us now? Bakura and Rena cannot be the only threats; we cannot even be sure on Rena's true identity and purpose."

Janeiro wore a concerned expression. "There is one more individual we may have overlooked in those memories," she told him. "Someone who may play a major role in all of this." Ryo looked at her oddly.

"Who is that?" he asked. Already he was forgetting who was who; he was mostly focused on Akefia the whole time.

"Apophis," Janeiro revealed.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	28. Chapter XXVIII

**~Chapter XXVIII~**

 _Nefertari's Tomb, Egypt, Present Day_

Bakura worked on covering up the sceptre and the scythe with Nefertari's various other treasures, then standing up and beginning to wander out of the tomb. He had to seal it, according to Rena, to make sure nobody went inside it again - especially Riko and Sakura.

As he left the tomb he noticed that Marik, along with Ryo and Janeiro, had vanished. Tyre tracks in the sand already told him what he needed to know: Marik had escaped and had taken the other two with him.

"We don't need to worry about those fools anymore," came Rena's voice. Bakura simply frowned in response.

"There is no "we" anymore," he reminded, folding his arms. "If I do recall correctly you swore to let us go our separate ways once those artifacts were destroyed, and since they cannot be destroyed I now have no more tasks to complete under your command."

"Hm, you raise a good point, Bakura," Rena replied. "You are indeed correct; we are to go our separate ways from now on, but I cannot promise that you and I won't cross paths again."

Bakura wore a glare. He knew that Rena was most likely taking a path which would get in his way, but hopefully she wouldn't accomplish her own tasks faster than him; he wanted to destroy Yugi Muto and bring destruction to the world, but if someone else plunged the planet into eternal darkness then he would be forced to suffer under their reign. Rena had already proved that she had bizarre powers unlike his own, and even worse: he had no idea why she was so powerful. She had already admitted to being more than a rogue piece of his soul, but what was the rest of her made from? A "product" was how she described herself. But a product of what? The queen in the tomb? Janeiro? Zorc's soul? Could those things combined truly make an entity so powerful? So unpredictable?

"Have fun while you can, Bakura," Rena said in a sarcastic tone of voice. "Because I assure you, even your future looks dark." Her laugh, which sounded an awful lot like his, echoed in his mind and almost caused the evil spirit to cover his ears. He tightly closed his eyes and felt like he was spinning, but suddenly the laughter faded away. When Bakura opened his eyes once again, he found himself in the Shadow Realm. Rena was nowhere to be seen.

At first he was frowning, but then he smirked. This was his domain, and Rena was no longer intruding. He had already sent Ryo and Janeiro here not too long ago; they hadn't been devoured by the shadows just yet, he could sense it.

So he decided to plan something much worse.

 _..._

"How are we supposed to wake up?" Ryo queried, pacing around thoughtfully. "I have no way back into my body, and neither do you. We're trapped here."

"There must be a way," Janeiro responded as she also looked around. "We must not give up! We must escape and stop Bakura before he hurts anyone, and we must stop my alter-ego!"

"We must also tell Yugi and the others about what we saw in those memories," Ryo added. "Though I'm fairly convinced that we did not see everything..."

"The spirit which controlled me didn't want us to see everything," Janeiro corrected. "It has something to do with Apophis; we heard so much about that Forbidden God and we saw Nefertari when she was infused with him, yet the next memory we saw showed that the spirit had been..."

"Removed," Ryo finished, stopping in his tracks to hold his chin and think. "And even when she was possessed, something was not quite right. She did not act like you or I; she was just herself, but her magic was tainted."

"Even she acknowledged the fact that she felt that something else inside her had taken Apophis' spirit," Janeiro reminded.

"Something else..." Ryo repeated thoughtfully. If Apophis needed a living host, then Nefertari had something alive inside her already.

Was she...

"Ryo!" Janeiro called out to him, pointing. "Look! An opening!" Ryo turned to see, and saw a thin portal which glowed almost with a blessed glimmer. He could see their bodies being treated by Ishizu, and Marik was sitting nearby getting some rest.

This truly was the way out.

Janeiro grasped his hand and ran with a gleeful smile on her face. Ryo was trailing behind her, a smile also on his face when he saw the exit drawing closer and closer.

And closer.

Closer.

Janeiro jumped through, her hand slipping from Ryo's.

But Ryo didn't make it through.

The exit closed right before his eyes after he was grabbed and pulled back, a hand over his mouth.

"Did you really think that you could escape me?" Bakura asked, grinning sadistically. Ryo felt his pupils shrink in fear; this was a set-up.

 _..._

Yugi sat on the plane beside Tea, with Sakura taking the aisle seat; on the opposing three seats sat Tristan, Joey and Riko. Tea couldn't help but notice Yugi's thoughtful stare as he gazed out of the window.

"Yugi?" she asked him. "Is everything alright?"

"Huh?" Yugi reacted, meeting her worried gaze. "Everything's fine. I just hope that we're not too late to meet with Marik; something tells me that we don't have a lot of time on our hands."

"Well, we can't make the plane go any faster," Tea told him. "But don't worry, Yugi, I'm sure we can make it on time. We'll meet with Marik and he'll show us that tomb he told us about; there's nothing to worry about, I'm sure of it."

Yugi returned to gazing out of the window thoughtfully. "I sure hope you're right, Tea," he muttered.

...

Janeiro sat herself up very slowly, rubbing her head. She winced painfully and groaned, her vision completely blurred. Around her she could see three figures, and as her sight cleared she could see that she was being stared at with vary cautious gazes.

Marik, who was currently holding an ice-pack to his neck, stood himself up and staggered over to the girl. "Am I right to assume that you are Janeiro?" he asked. Ishizu looked up at him since she was currently sitting down opposite the blue-haired girl.

"She is herself," she confirmed.

Marik glanced at Ryo, who still lay still. "What about him?" he queried. Ishizu looked to Ryo but was unable to tell.

"I do not know," she replied. "He is still unconscious."

Janeiro, concerned for her friend, shook Ryo gently. "Ryo?" she called to him softly, but there was no response. "Ryo!" She gradually became more vigorous with her nudging, but she noticed that Ryo had started to stir. He stirred and he groaned as if in pain. As if he was fighting something. The three Egyptian siblings and Janeiro were all shocked and had frozen for a moment, but Janeiro quickly returned to Ryo's side and held his arm. She tearfully glanced back at the other three. "What's happening to him?!"

"He's fighting," Marik acknowledged. "He is struggling against whatever is holding him back."

"W-We came back together..." Janeiro whimpered, turning to face Ryo once more. "Ryo, please! Keep fighting, I believe in you!"

Ryo continued to writhe and struggle, whimpering and growling painfully as if fighting something internally in his mind. But suddenly he gasped as if he had been underwater for far too long, his eyes opening wide as his back arched. For a few seconds he was frozen like this, but then the tension in his muscles slowly eased as he lowered himself onto his back, then slowly sitting himself up. He rubbed his temple and let out a very quiet groan, letting the pain fade away before blinking hard a number of times, then finally looking Janeiro in the eye. "J... Janeiro...?" he croaked. Janeiro had tears in her eyes, but these were tears of relief. She released a sigh and clutched his arm.

"Oh, Ryo..." she exhaled. "I was so scared... I-I thought I had left you behind..."

Ryo smiled at her sweetly, clutching her hand. "I lost my grip and almost got pulled back into the Shadow Realm, but I was able to fight my way out." His brown eyes sparkled, displaying his own relief to be free. "You have no need to worry now, Janeiro; we're both free."

"You almost had me worried there, Baku- Ryo," Marik admitted, once again almost calling him by the name he did not prefer. "You took that blast of dark energy for me. I owe you one."

Ryo giggled softly to himself. "You would have done the same for any of us," he responded. "After all, we are all friends, are we not?"

Marik smiled. "Of course," he agreed. But then his smile faded. "Speaking of friends... I wonder how long it will take for Yugi to arrive."

"He will be arriving soon," Ishizu told him. "All we can do now is wait for him; he will be landing with the others in the evening."

"So in a few hours..." Marik told himself. "I suppose all we can do is wait and hope that the evil Bakura hasn't achieved his goal; I had to flee the tomb in fear of the three of us losing our lives for nothing."

Bakura had entered Nefertari's tomb? The thought terrified Janeiro; he was looking for something in there, and no doubt he would find it and use it. Unless he had other goals in mind - Bakura was such an unpredictable individual.

But Janeiro remembered that the information her and Ryo learned had to be mentioned as soon as possible; seeing that Marik, Ishizu and Odion were all well-educated in Egyptology and had experience when dealing with the past, it was safe to come to the conclusion that they would possibly understand what memories had been uncovered.

"Ryo and I were sent to the Shadow Realm," the girl revealed. "Bakura sent us both there. We both started seeing strange illusions - memories from Ancient Egypt. We concluded that the riddle my other half wrote was definitely connected to the two individuals we saw on the walls of that queen's tomb. In fact, we found out many things, didn't we, Ryo?"

Ryo nodded his head. "That's right," he answered. "We found out about our ancestors and how they are connected to current events. A lot of things are starting to make sense now, but now everything, I'm afraid."

"Right," Janeiro agreed. "There are many unanswered questions."

"You saw memories of the past?" Ishizu asked, surprised. "And you're certain they are true?"

"Yes," Janeiro replied. "Although, the first memory had some falseness to it, I believe... somebody in the memory interacted with me. A child. And I never saw the child in the memories Ryo and I witnessed together."

"That sounds strange," Ishizu admitted, glancing downwards thoughtfully. "I would say that Bakura or Rena decided to play mind-games with you, or the shadows were making you deluded, but if only one memory out of the many others was false... that makes no sense; what would one gain out of creating an obvious illusion?"

"We should focus on that later, sister," Marik told her, then looking at the two fair-skinned individuals. "What were the memories you witnessed?"

Janeiro looked to Ryo and then let out a very quiet sigh. "Well... we witnessed the love affair between my ancestor, Nefertari of Outcasts, and Ryo's ancestor, Akefia of Thieves," she began. "Akefia was by no means an innocent man, but he was not the criminal many believed him to be. He met Nefertari in the village she ruled after attempting to steal her ancient Duel Disk, the DiaDhank, but after being severely wounded he became a prisoner and eventually a guest. He protected the Outcast Queen from harm, until one fateful night when he was forced to leave. The pair of them knew that being together made them both weaker, and Nefertari wanted Akefia to avenge the people of the fallen village of Kul Elna, so she made him leave so that he could strengthen his Ka, Diabound, in order to get his revenge. But his departure gave a group of magic-using bandits the advantage; these people, known as the Desert Children, worshiped Apophis and wanted to summon him into the world so that he could destroy everything. Apophis' spirit was forced into Nefertari, and at some point his spirit was removed from her before her execution."

Marik, Ishizu and Odion all just stared at the girl, unsure what to think of the overwhelming information. Ishizu was the one who eventually chose to speak up in response to Janeiro's words.

"So you two witnessed the love between the "king and queen" the evil spirit spoke of in her riddle," she summed up. "Not only that, but you witnessed some form of ritual involving Apophis; that's a name we have not heard in the family for thousands of years."

"Have you heard it before?" Janeiro questioned.

"It has been mentioned, but it was never something we were warned about," Marik answered. "Apophis was forgotten years ago. There are no records of him ever being reborn into the world and causing any devastation."

A worried look was on Ryo's face. "You don't suppose he's still waiting, do you?" he asked. Now the others look just as concerned when hearing his question.

"...Perhaps he is," Ishizu admitted. "Like how Zorc the Dark One awaited revival for millennia."

Ryo looked then to Janeiro. "Janeiro, when Rena awakened within you, it was not just a part of my alter-ego's soul," he reminded her. "Something else was awakened, and seeing that our journey has so far led us to discovering your forgotten ancestor, Nefertari, could it be possible that the evil spirit within you is Apophis?"

Janeiro looked completely terrified? "Do you think that's who is controlling me?" she asked him. "Do you believe that it is truly Apophis who awoke within me?"

"It might very well be," Ryo responded. "Like how Zorc awoke within me because I was the reincarnation of his original host, Apophis may have awoken within you because you were the reincarnation of his original host: Nefertari."

"Zorc was in the Millennium Ring," Janeiro reminded.

"True, but a part of Apophis' soul may have been hiding within the Millennium Ring," Ryo theorized. "Like how my alter-ego hid within Yugi's Millennium Puzzle without the Pharaoh noticing."

Janeiro looked back at Ryo with an odd stare. She had never heard about how Bakura hid within Yugi's puzzle. Did anyone know about that? How did Ryo know?

"...That sounds possible," Janeiro agreed quietly. "Apophis may have been within the Millennium Ring, so the day the ring burned away at my soul... Apophis may have entered. He combined with a portion of Bakura's soul to create what is now known as Rena - she is a combonation of Apophis and Zorc, along with their hosts, Nefertari and Akefia. She is a complete amalgamation."

"Indeed she is," Ryo said in response.

"So, what you are trying to say is that Apophis resides within Janeiro's other half," Ishizu noted. "We have to destroy Rena in order to destroy Apophis, but to do that we must make sure that Rena is not within Janeiro. We must draw her out, or else we will destroy Janeiro with her."

Ryo stared at Janeiro almost curiously, as if thinking about something. Janeiro caught sight of his stare; he was in deep thought, but somehow his stare lacked any sign of sympathy or concern. She wondered what was on his mind...

"There must be a way to draw her out," Marik spoke up. "We saw Bakura in a separate body; while it was only temporary he was still no longer a part of Ryo. And he's probably still out there, in that tomb..."

"I think he has left," Ryo corrected. "And I don't think he is our main concern; he, too, seems to want to destroy Apophis, seeing that in the past Apophis was an enemy of Zorc's. We should eliminate Apophis first, then we will worry about my evil spirit."

Marik and Ishizu looked at him with doubtful expressions. "How can you be so sure that he is not a threat?" Marik questioned.

"He prefers to strike at the right moment," Ryo recalled, remembering how Bakura had controlled him since he was a young child. "He is very patient and often prefers to take time instead of acting quickly; after all, as an ancient spirit who lives longer than any mortal being, he quite literally has all the time in the world. Apophis, on the other hand, seems to be in more of a hurry; Rena has been highly active and even Bakura has shown some form of concern regarding her sudden appearance."

Marik rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You have a point," he agreed. "Bakura enjoys toying with people and is even willing to play fair as long as he is given a tempting offer. Like how he agreed to work with me during the Battle City tournament when he could've easily refused and taken my Millennium Rod by force."

Ryo nodded in agreement. "Yes, he does enjoy taking his time," he summed up. "As someone who hosted his spirit for almost a whole lifetime, I can be certain that Bakura is not someone to worry about just yet."

"Unless he agrees to help Rena," Janeiro added.

"I doubt that will happen," Ryo admitted. "The evil spirit only works with others if it leads to his own success; his ancient hatred for Apophis should not be easily forgotten, but if it is, we should still defeat Rena first. She has more power than Bakura and no one knows her limits. Besides, Rena would only take charge of him and he would temporarily follow her orders."

"Ryo is right; perhaps Bakura truly is not someone to be concerned about just yet," Ishizu decided. "But we must still be quick; the quicker we defeat Rena and Apophis, the quicker we'll stop Bakura before it is too late."

"That sounds like a good idea," said Janeiro. "We'll leave Bakura alone for now and hope to never cross paths with him again, and we'll wait for Yugi and the others to arrive so that we may find out how to defeat Apophis."

"There is no need to show Yugi the tomb now," Odion spoke. "These two have solved the mystery of the king and queen."

"No," Marik disagreed. "We did not get to fully explore the tomb. There may just be other clues on how to defeat Apophis, and we must see if Bakura has done any damage."

"Of course, Master Marik," Odion replied.

Ryo looked at Janeiro. "It looks like we will be staying here for a while," he said to her.

"Your luggage from your flights were brought upstairs," Odion told the pair. "You must have left them within or near the museum I work at; they were handed in as lost property, and I recognized the names."

"Even mine?" Janeiro asked. Odion nodded his head.

"The contents were similar to Ryo's," he explained, "and you had a foreign name tag."

Janeiro giggled softly. "Thank you, you're so kind for bringing our belongings," she thanked. Ryo smiled and nodded his head in agreement before standing up, offering his hand to Janeiro.

"Shall we?" he asked. Janeiro tilted her head and even felt her cheeks flush as she reached his hand, letting him pull her up to her feet. She stumbled slightly but he caught her, holding her in his arms. The white-haired male looked down at her, still smiling kindly, before taking her by the hand once again and leading her upstairs. They had to share the small spare room, since this house was not very big. Together they began unpacking their bags, but Janeiro stopped when she saw a familiar box which linked to a game she did not play...

"Are you alright?" Ryo asked her, seeing her freeze for a moment. Janeiro snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at him, nodding her head.

"Yes," she assured. "I just... have no idea why I brought some of these things. But that's what happens when you let your evil alter-ego pack for you, heh heh!"

"I know how you feel," Ryo told her. "My alter-ego has left a few nasty surprises himself!"

The pair only laughed together; it felt somewhat good to just laugh about the very things they feared the most.

Well, Ryo was laughing with Janeiro for a different reason.

 _..._

Ryo remained completely immobile, held in place by the shadows and frozen by the strong dark energy produced by the Shadow Realm. A normal person would become a feast for the shadows at this point, but Ryo's experience with Yami Bakura had led him to become immune - especially since this was the only place Ryo could go when Bakura was in control.

Bakura stood laughing loudly as he witnessed the scene between "Ryo" and Janeiro, peeping into a small pool he had opened up himself.

"Not even Little Miss Observant can see that you are not quite yourself, landlord!" he mocked. "But I suppose I have become rather good at pretending to be you after living within your body for many years." The evil spirit laughed again; he was using a part of his own soul to control Ryo's body, and he was keeping the real Ryo in the Shadow Realm - and nobody, not even Janeiro, was aware of this.

"When will you leave me be?!" Ryo screamed at him, trying to contain his tears. "When will I be rid of you forever?!"

Bakura grinned and looked at him without any sympathy. "It is not you who shall be rid of me, but me who shall be rid of you!" he corrected. "I will take over this world and you, along with your pathetic friends, will be banished to the Shadow Realm for good! I will become a supreme ruler of the darkness!"

"Leave me!" Ryo demanded. "Leave me at once, spirit! There is no need for you to do this!"

"You're right," Bakura agreed. "I don't _need_ to control your feeble mind, I _want_ to! It is so much more fun this way; I can watch you struggle as I toy with everyone you love and care about. And I can destroy Rena in a much more efficient manner."

Ryo's eyes widened. "W-What...?" he reacted, barely able to use his voice. Bakura maintained his grin and chuckled lowly.

"Janeiro does not know that the Ryo she is currently with is in fact me," he explained. "Rena is currently residing within her once again, and... well, you heard what Ishizu had to say in response to my question: unless we remove Rena from Janeiro, the only way to destroy her is by destroying Janeiro as well. That's exactly what I intend to do, and nobody will suspect a thing!"

Ryo gasped almost as if he had been terrible wounded. "No!" he howled. "You can't! I won't let you!"

Bakura only laughed again. "Go ahead and stop me, vessel!" he challenged. Ryo realised that he could physically do nothing to stop his other half and almost felt himself breaking down in tears.

"Leave her alone..." he begged. "Please... Why must you hurt everyone I try to get close to?!"

"Because sometimes I just like seeing you sniffle and sob," Bakura admitted heartlessly. "Now hush and enjoy the show, my vessel; you don't want to miss Janeiro's final moments!"

Tears streamed down Ryo's cheeks as he stared into the pool which showed Janeiro and his evil other half having a good time, laughing and chatting as if they were best friends. Janeiro had been completely fooled and Ryo could do nothing to save her from him.

And all he could do was watch.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	29. Chapter XXIX

**~Chapter XXIX~**

 _Ishtar Residence, Cairo, Egypt, Present Day_

Ryo lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling almost as if in a deep trance. He had finished unpacking everything, as had Janeiro, so now he had just entered his own little world. He was preoccupied with his own thoughts until deciding to actually look at Janeiro, seeing that she was looking through some books which did not belong to her.

"What are you reading, Janeiro?" he asked in his polite tone of voice. The purple-eyed girl turned her head so that she was facing him, sitting up from her own bed.

"I asked Odion if he had any books about Ancient Egypt which he would be willing to lend to me," she explained. "I'm trying to map out the location of El-Isfet."

"El-Isfet?" Ryo queried.

"Yes," Janeiro replied. "I think we should try to visit the site; there may be more secrets to uncover there."

"For all we know El-Isfet may have been completely destroyed," Ryo told her, sitting himself up properly. "I doubt we have any reason to go there."

"We have time," Janeiro stated. "Yugi and the others will be here in more than a few hours; only you and I have witnessed those memories, and I doubt the others would be interested in seeing the ruins of a place never once mentioned in scriptures."

"But what could you possibly hope to find there?" Ryo interrogated.

"I'm not so sure," Janeiro admitted. "Perhaps Nefertari herself left behind something in order to stop Apophis, or maybe even the Thief King. I just have the strangest feeling that something is there..."

Ryo once again looked thoughtful. Was this all linked to Rena? Was she trying to lure Janeiro to El-Isfet's site or was something else behind it?

Janeiro then let out a sigh, standing up and placing the book onto a desk among a few others. "I'm not good at reading Egyptian," she admitted, turning to Ryo. "Do you think you can help me, Ryo?"

The white-haired boy stood up and walked over to her, looking at the book. "As a matter of fact, I'm fluent in Egyptian Arabic," he reminded her, reading the page she was on before returning to the contents page. After finding a different page number he turned to a page displaying a map of modern-day upper Egypt, pointing to Cairo. "We are here," he said, then trailing his finger down to Luxor. "That's where the Valley of Kings can be located." His finger trailed even lower and slightly to the west. "The ruins of Kul Elna are located somewhere around here."

"Right," Janeiro nodded. "And El-Isfet was not too far from Kul-Elna but also not too far from the old Capital, meaning..."

"It must be around here," Ryo finished, trailing his finger up the page closer to the Valley of Kings.

"Precisely," Janeiro agreed, smiling up at her friend. "Thank you, Ryo." Ryo smiled back at her sweetly.

"Happy to help," he replied.

Janeiro glanced about the room. "We should copy this map and mark down both the locations of Kul Elna and El-Isfet to find our bearings," she said, grabbing a pencil and a small piece of paper from a notepad which most likely came from a nearby hotel. The girl quickly began to copy the map while Ryo held the book open for her.

 _..._

 _The Shadow Realm_

Bakura stood with his arms folded, one hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well, isn't this intriguing?" he asked rhetorically. "Your friend has quite the adventurous spirit for someone so timid. I do hope that Rena is not trying to play the same game I am; she may very well be luring us into a trap in order to have me destroyed." He chuckled to himself, wearing a grin. "What a clever girl."

Ryo didn't even want to look anymore, doing his best to lose himself in his own thoughts. Bakura tutted at this and marched over, grabbing his face and forcing him to look him in the eye.

"Do try to stay focused, landlord," he commanded. "You don't want to miss the show; even if Rena is indeed attempting to fool the both of us, I can assure you that I will still triumph and prevent her from getting what she desires."

Ryo could only glare, but by no means did he look intimidating. He had nothing witty to say and nothing that could possibly threaten Bakura or make him have second thoughts. No matter what he said, Bakura would only laugh at him.

Bakura let go of Ryo's face, seeing his host wince painfully. He turned back to face the pool which allowed him to watch over "Ryo" and Janeiro. "Once we arrive at El-Isfet's site, I will destroy Janeiro," he announced. "Nobody will suspect a thing. Then, when Yugi and his pathetic friends arrive, I will destroy them and finally I'll have no one to stand in my way of world domination!"

The ancient spirit allowed himself to laugh loudly as Ryo could only glare at him. He wished he could do something, but there truly was nothing he could do to save any of his friends.

 _..._

 _Ishtar Residence, Cairo, Egypt, Present Day_

"Are you sure you want to go out there?" Marik asked. "But it is so far away from here."

"We are sure," Janeiro nodded.

"You can use our private plane," Ishizu spoke up. "I'll have an email sent to the Cairo airport staff; if you travel to Luxor by plane you can then catch a brief ferry ride over the Nile, then you can catch a mini bus to take you to the Valley of Kings. From there you can walk to your desired site on the map."

"You'd allow us to use your private plane?" Janeiro asked, shocked. "That's ever so kind of you, Ishizu! I cannot thank you enough."

"Indeed, the offer is very generous," Ryo added with a smile." Ishizu simply smiled back.

"You two have so far embarked on a journey of riddles and confusion," she told them both. "You deserve all the help you can get to find all the answers you seek, seeing that the fate of the world is now resting on your shoulders."

Janeiro could only smile genuinely. "We appreciate the help," she said. "Hopefully we should return within four to six hours - not long before the others arrive."

"If Yugi and the others arrive and you two have not returned, we'll search for you," Marik stated.

"I doubt that will be necessary," Ryo assured him, "but of course, the thought is appreciated in the unlikely event of something going horribly wrong."

"We'll always look out for you guys," Marik told him. "I'm sure Yugi and his friends look out for you a lot, too."

"They do," Ryo confirmed, turning to look at Janeiro. "We should pack a few items to take with us, but not too much.

"Right," Janeiro nodded in agreement. "We'll bring our backpacks."

"I'll drop you two off at Cairo airport," Marik told them.

"Thank you," Janeiro thanked. "We don't want to trouble you, so we'll get a bus or a taxi to return."

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Marik asked, almost worried.

"Of course we will," Ryo answered with a smile. "Both of us are stronger than we look, you know."

Marik merely chuckled. "Right," he agreed.

 _..._

Bakura seemed to have gone elsewhere, but Ryo had no idea when he actually vanished. He had just completely zoned out, no longer wanting to listen to the evil spirit or witness the events involving Janeiro; he'd only hurt himself more if he paid attention.

"Ryo?" came a familiar voice - a soft one, belonging to a young female for sure. One he hadn't heard in a long time.

For a moment he was against moving his head, but slowly he lifted it to look weakly at the one standing before him. He sharply took in a breath and his lips had parted slightly in surprise.

Before him stood a small girl with hair as white as his, tied back in two pigtails. Her brown eyes were large and full of innocence, and she wore a dungaree dress over a long-sleeved pink top. Long white socks and pink shoes donned her legs.

She held a teddy bear in her arms and her expression was one of sadness and fear. The girl only became more hurt when Ryo turned his head so that he was no longer facing her.

"No," the boy said. "Stop it. Stop this game. I know this is a trick!"

"Big brother," the girl whimpered as she stepped closer. "Why did you stop writing letters to me?"

"Stop it," Ryo pleaded, still refusing to face her. "You're not her. Leave me be!"

"Mother and I miss you, brother," the girl continued, but this time her voice sounded more mature. Out of curiosity Ryo was forced to look, seeing that now she was the age she would have been if she hadn't...

"I said stop it!" Ryo snapped, looking away again. "How much must you hurt me before you are satisfied?!"

"Why do you ignore me, brother?" the girl interrogated.

"What do you want from me?!" Ryo cried out.

"Why are you and father still alive when mother and I are not?" the girl proceeded. "Why did we have to die?"

"ENOUGH!" Ryo wailed. "Enough of this, you vile spirit! I have done nothing to you to suffer like this!"

"You lived," the younger girl countered. "You lived and I died. You became a horrible person. You hurt people."

"I hurt no one!" Ryo defended. "I never hurt anyone, Amane!"

"You hurt me," the girl, Amane, accused. "You're the reason I'm dead."

"No!" Ryo howled. "It wasn't my fault!"

"You weren't there to protect me like you promised," Amane shot back. "Do you know how it feels to die?"

Ryo was now visibly shaking. "No more!" he yelled. "No more, this is quite enough!"

Amane now stood directly facing Ryo. "It's more painful than people say it is," she described. Ryo barely glanced at her and felt a wave of fear as he saw Amane's new form. She was like some kind of spirit or skeleton.

"Stop this..." the male teen whimpered. "Please, make it stop..."

"Mother hates you and father," Amane hissed. "I hate you and father, too. You both don't deserve to be alive."

"STOP!" Ryo shrieked tearfully. He broke down crying, but as he started to sob he heard an all-too-familiar laugh.

"You're so fun to torment," spoke Bakura as he stood where Amane once stood. "I will find plenty of ways to break you, landlord. Then... well, I suppose I'll find something to do with you after I've had my fun."

Ryo could barely bring himself to look at his alter-ego. He didn't even stop crying. There was nothing he could do to get out of this, but at the same time he couldn't just accept it. It was all just so much.

 _..._

 _Somewhere in Egypt, Present Day_

It must have taken Ryo and Janeiro about an hour or longer to reach their destination. Janeiro led the way from the Valley of Kings by following her map sketch, and eventually came to a halt in the middle of the desert.

"Here," she said. "El-Isfet once stood in this exact spot.

"You are certain?" Ryo asked her.

"I am," Janeiro affirmed, crouching down as she brushed her hand along the sand. "There must be something here; I can feel it."

Ryo glanced around, somewhat doubtful of his companion, until a third voice spoke to the pair: "Greetings." Both of them looked to see a man wearing rather bizarre purple robes, his skin dark but his eyes a bright, almost glowing, green. His teal hair was relatively long, flicking outwards. The man looked rather old but by no means was he frail or unhealthy, maintaining a rather fit shape for his age.

"Oh," Janeiro reacted, standing up. "Hello, sir. We did not see you there."

"You did not see me anywhere," the man told her with a smile. "I thought something would happen today; I sensed it."

Ryo tilted his head to the side. "Forgive me, but I do not recognize you," he apologized.

"I don't expect you both to know me," the man responded. "The true question is: do you know yourselves?"

"Of course," Janeiro answered. "My name is Janeiro Brazil, and this is my friend, Ryo Bakura." The old man smiled and shook his head.

"I do not mean your current selves," he corrected. "Do you know who you once were?"

Ryo and Janeiro looked at each other before Ryo stepped forwards. "If you are referring to the ancient past, then we do know," he answered. "I was a tomb thief, and Janeiro was a self-proclaimed queen."

The old man nodded his head. "You have seen your memories," he noted. "You know of your origins. Does that mean you also know of what is to come?"

"No," Janeiro answered, "but we have discussed it. After we witnessed the events of the past we both picked up on the fact that Apophis had no true conclusion to his story."

The man frowned and nodded his head. "Indeed," he agreed. "Apophis did have no true conclusion because that conclusion has not yet come for him. He is still waiting to be reborn into this world, and it has been my job to show you the life of someone else you will most likely cross paths with."

"Someone else?" Ryo queried.

"Yes," the man confirmed. "You see, even after the death of Apophis' chosen host, Nefertari, his spirit lived on in mortal form. He grew up as a lonely man; an orphan who knew nothing of his parents or origin. A man isolated for his thieving ways and his unusual ability to control snakes. Unfortunately his desire for answers led him to death, and now... now he wants the world to suffer."

"But who was he?" Ryo questioned.

"He is the one behind everything," the old man answered. "He is the one who brought this curse to you both."

"Curse?" Janeiro repeated. "Ryo and I are cursed?"

"Indeed," the man nodded. "Apophis was twisted in his final mortal moments. He wanted revenge on the world, so his final words were a curse upon the two of you: when your spirits were reunited, he would return."

"Why us?" Janeiro asked. "Why was Apophis so against us?"

"Nobody knows," the man admitted. "Witnesses to his execution were baffled upon hearing his words, including Pharaoh Seto and his High Priests."

"How strange..." Ryo muttered to himself.

"If you explore the tomb of Nefertari you will find the snake bracelet," the man explained. "That will show you everything. Only the souls of Akefia and Nefertari can see the events of Apophis' life, as he is the one who planned for your eyes only to see it."

"I still don't understand," Janeiro whispered. "Who hated Nefertari and Akefia that much?"

"Many people hated them both," the man told them. "I suggest that the pair of you hurry now to Nefertari's tomb and recover that artifact before someone else does; I can see many enemies, including Apophis himself, who will want to stop you both. There is nothing more for you here; when your job is done, I will finally be able to rest with my fallen village, and Apophis will be no more. I suppose that many other lost souls were also find peace."

The old man smiled, looking to Janeiro finally as he bowed his head. "I'll see you on the other side soon, my queen."

Only then did Janeiro realize who he was as he vanished in a spiral of wind.

Tauren, formerly known as Servus.

"That was him," Janeiro gasped. "Servus! I-I mean Tauren! He was that kind spellcaster who worked for Nefertari!"

"I see," Ryo muttered very quietly, sounding thoughtful. "We must head to Nefertari's tomb; I must claim that artifact before someone else gets in my way."

Janeiro turned to Ryo, her head tilted. "Ryo?" she responded, only to feel a chill go down her spine as he gave her a very brief evil smirk. She took a step back but Ryo's face returned to normal as he stepped closer to her.

"What's wrong, Janeiro?" he asked. "You look afraid. Was it something I said?"

Janeiro couldn't even respond; there was something... off. Something was not right. She could tell.

"You're not Ryo..." she gasped in realisation. "You're... No... No, you can't be...!"

Ryo, still with his own face and voice, laughed quietly to himself, stopping inches in front of her and towering over her. "Don't worry, Ryo's safe with me," he said. "But I must say, he does cry a lot. I suppose that is partially my fault, heh heh!"

Janeiro shoved him. "Give him back!" she cried out. But as she shoved him he only caught her wrists, throwing his head forwards so it bashed against hers. She saw stars as she fell to the floor, clutching her head which now felt as if it were splitting.

"I thank you for taking me out to this secluded spot," Ryo grinned. "It's nothing too personal, really. Not against you, at least. You see, Rena is still within your body, despite being dormant. I need to eliminate her, and to do that I must eliminate you."

Janeiro looked up at him with a tearful expression. An expression which the real Ryo was seeing as Bakura forced him to watch. The girl could only stare as Ryo raised his hand, raising the darkness around her as shadowy hands prepared to drag her to her demise. But Janeiro did something not even Bakura would expect.

"Wait!" she exclaimed, staggering back up to her feet. With a determined expression she stared Ryo in the eye, reaching back into her backpack. Ryo frowned as he watched her, but was surprised at her next words as she held up what looked like a deck box. "We should settle this... Bakura, over a duel! If I win, you return Ryo to me! If you win... I'll let you destroy Rena and I."

Ryo stared at her before grinning, then letting out a laugh. "You're a fool!" he mocked. "Very well, little Janeiro, I agree to your terms. We shall settle this over a duel; but to make the duel interesting we shall play... in the Shadow Realm!"

Darkness engulfed the duo, and Ryo slowly morphed into his true self: Yami Bakura. And, at his side, was the tearful Ryo. The real Ryo.

"Ryo!" Janeiro reacted upon seeing him. "Don't worry, Ryo, I'll save you! I-I promise!"

Ryo only shook his head, an expression of pure horror on his face. Janeiro was not good at Duel Monsters. She was going to lose, and he could only watch.

"You're only prolonging the inevitable, Janeiro," Bakura mocked.

"You're wrong," Janeiro argued, trying to sound strong. "When I saw the deck box in my luggage I immediately knew that Rena could see this coming; while she is evil, she still sees you as a threat. That's why she packed this deck for me."

"Too bad she didn't leave you instructions on how to use it!" Bakura retorted. "Then again, you don't even know how to play at all!"

"I know enough," Janeiro corrected, shaking a little. After all, she still feared Bakura and could feel just how pressurising this duel was going to be. "I'll defeat you, Bakura! I'll make you pay for hurting Ryo like this!"

Bakura shuffled his deck while grinning darkly. "No, you'll just hurt him even more by ending your own pathetic life," he told her. "You have no idea what you're up against, and I guarantee my deck will frighten you so much that you'll forfeit the duel!"

"No matter how afraid I get, I will fight," Janeiro stated, having to look at her deck while shuffling it due to her inexperience.

"Why?" Bakura pressed. "Because you're determined to save your friend?"

"Ryo is more than that to me," Janeiro wavered slightly, feeling a duel disk appearing on her arm. "Ryo reached out to me when no one else did. Ryo protected me when no one else did. If I did not have a friend like Ryo, I would be afraid of speaking to someone like you. But Ryo has taught me to face even the darkest of spirits if I must survive."

"Heh, facing a dark spirit was the most foolish thing you ever did three years ago," Bakura recalled, remembering the day Janeiro first encountered him and attempted to remove the Millennium Ring.

"Don't listen to him, Janeiro!" Ryo called out suddenly, gaining back his hope that Bakura had tried to desperately rip away from him. "I believe in you!"

Bakura scowled. "Vessels are not supposed to talk," he spat. "Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open, landlord! You'll want to see my victory!"

Janeiro loaded her deck into her duel disk, still shaking. Deep down she was terrified. Deep down she regretted doing this. But she had to. Who else was going to rescue Ryo?

"Well then," Bakura spoke as he loaded his own deck into his duel disk. "Shall we begin?" Janeiro only nodded her head, clenching her teeth together out of pure fear. This was insane. She was going to lose; Bakura has quite literally played this game for thousands of years.

"Very well," Bakura concluded. The next words were said in unison:

 _"Let's duel!"_

 **~End of Chapter~**


	30. Chapter XXX

**~Chapter XXX~**

"My turn!" Bakura called out as he drew a card and gazed at it for a moment. He flashed a grin, eyes now on Janeiro. "You're going to regret challenging me, little Janeiro." Janeiro could only watch with beads of sweat pouring down her face already, but Bakura seemed to spare her as he added the card he drew to his hand. Instead he pulled out a different card. "I summon Opticlops in attack mode; be wary of this creature, he is a loyal servant of the Dark Ruler Ha Des!"

Janeiro stared at the monster with pure fear but tried not to let it get to her; she was not used to this form of Duel Monsters, for she had only seen the original card game. She barely noticed Bakura setting two cards face down, spell or trap. When Bakura declared an end to his turn, Janeiro looked at her deck and shakily drew a card. She had to study each card in her hand with great detail, reading the description for each one.

"Having second thoughts?" Bakura taunted, growing somewhat impatient. Janeiro did her best to glare at him.

"You don't scare me anymore," she retorted, placing a card into her disk. "I summon... Doriado! She has four stars like your Opticlops!" She was interrupted by Bakura laughing.

"A mistake only an amateur would make!" he mocked. He could see Janeiro's worry and confusion, so decided to give her an explanation. "The stars are not what determine strength, Janeiro; your Doriado only has one thousand two hundred attack points while my Opticlops has one thousand eight hundred!"

Janeiro's eyes widened when she realised the mistake she made, and she couldn't even go back and change it now. She stared at her hand, reading the other cards once again but this time more thoroughly. She had to do something to fix this.

"I set a card face down and end my turn," the girl declared, placing a spell or trap card face down. Bakura merely chuckled at the sight, seeing that she was already struggling.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you set a monster card back there," he insulted. "Very well, it's my turn." The grinning young man drew another card from his deck and looked at it, quick to decide what his next move would be.

"I set a monster in face-down defense mode," he stated, "and I end my turn."

Nothing too frightening this time, much to Janeiro's relief. She even let out a relieved sigh as she drew another card. "Gravekeeper's". That was a familiar name to her...

"I summon Gravekeeper's Nobleman in attack position," she declared, summoning the blue-haired humanoid monster beside her Doriado. "And now, I activate the spell card: Magicians Unite!" Bakura frowned as Janeiro explained the card to him; she definitely sounded much more confident now. "Since I have two spellcaster-type monsters on the field, I can select one of them to gain three thousand attack points! And I select my Doriado!"

Janeiro glared at Opticlops. "Doriado now has one thousand two hundred more attack points than your monster, if I've calculated that correctly," she worked out. "Which means that if Doriado attacks it, she will destroy it! Go, Doriado! Attack Bakura's Opticlops!"

Bakura smirked all of a sudden. "You seemed to have forgotten about my face-down cards," he pointed out. Janeiro gasped as one of the cards flipped face up. "I activate my trap card, Call of the Earthbound!" Out of the card a number of spiritual hands emerged. "This card allows me to choose the target of the attack, and I choose my face-down monster!" The hands grabbed Bakura's face-down monster card and forced the monster, Curtain of the Dark Ones, to emerge. The spellcaster monster, against its will, was held before Doriado's attack and was destroyed, meaning that Opticlops remained on the field and Bakura took no damage to his life points. Even worse: Doriado's attack was now back at one thousand two hundred.

Now Janeiro was worried again, looking at her cards as Bakura continued to mock her. "Face it, Janeiro, there is nothing you can do!"

Janeiro looked at him, knowing that he was right. "I... I end... my turn..." she declared. Bakura snickered and drew another card, examining his hand for a moment before making his move.

"I summon Theban Nightmare in attack mode," he declared. "And now, it's time for the fun to begin! Theban Nightmare, destroy her Doriado!"

The ghoul did as its master commanded, attacking Doriado and causing her to scream before she was destroyed. Janeiro grimaced painfully; she had lost three hundred life points, leaving her on three thousand seven hundred while Bakura was still on four thousand.

"And now, Opticlops, it's time for you to attack her Gravekeeper's Nobleman!" Bakura exclaimed with glee. His fearsome beast bounded forwards and swiped its claws at Janeiro's final monster, causing her to lose eight hundred more life points. Now she was only on two thousand nine hundred.

Bakura laughed loudly, but Janeiro spoke up. "Wait one second!" she called out to him. "Gravekeeper's Nobleman has a special effect! When he is destroyed by an opponent's attacking monster, I can special summon another Gravekeeper's monster in face-down defense position, and that's exactly what I'm going to do!"

Janeiro placed a a monster card face-down, staring at her opponent. Bakura scowled at her. "Very well, I end my turn," he said. "Your move, little Janeiro." Janeiro quickly drew another card, still doing her best not to collapse under the pressure. She examined her hand carefully, then for the first time she looked at Bakura's field. He had two face-up monsters and one card face-down, and currently she only had her face-down monster and one trap card on her own field. She had to do something.

"I summon Magician's Valkyria!" she announced, summoning a female magician with one thousand six hundred attack points. "As long as she is on the field, you cannot attack any other spellcasters except for her!"

"Tch, are you a fool?" Bakura reacted. "Opticlops has more attack points than her!"

"I'm not finished," Janeiro managed to say, though her confidence wasn't all there. "I flip-summon my face-down monster to reveal the Gravekeeper's Heretic!" Emerging before their eyes was the second monster created by Nefertari; a monster which resembled the man she so desperately wanted to love.

"And now, I'm going to equip this spell card to Magician's Valkyria!" Janeiro revealed the equip spell known as Book of Secret Arts, giving her magician a new attack of one thousand nine hundred and a defense of two thousand one hundred.

"Magician's Valkyria has one hundred more attack points than your Opticlops!" the blue-haired girl explained. "But I'm not going to attack you again; you have a face-down card! So I'm going to end my turn!"

"Hmph. Smart move," Bakura muttered as he drew a card from his deck. Upon looking at it a grin spread across his face. "But not smart enough!" Bakura revealed the card he drew. A magic card. "I activate the magic card: Final Countdown!"

Ryo gasped the moment he heard the name, staring at Bakura as if he had just witnessed a murder. Well, what he was witnessing wasn't much different.

"Final Countdown?" Janeiro questioned. "What's that?"

"I must pay two thousand life points," Bakura explained. "Now, starting from this turn, a counter will count how many turns pass between us. Once it reaches twenty, the duel is over - and I will be the winner!"

As Bakura burst out laughing, Janeiro stared fearfully at a large and intimidating number one which materialized above the field. Bakura's life points were now on two thousand, but this did not make the girl feel any more confident.

"My turn is not over yet," Bakura stated once he had calmed himself. "I summon Winged Minion and activate its special effect; I tribute this card and target my Opticlops, boosting his attack points to two thousand five hundred!" The Winged Minion vanished from the field as Opticlops' strength grew. "I'll set a card face-down, and now I will attack your Magician's Valkyria with my Opticlops!"

Janeiro could do nothing to stop it; her card was destroyed, causing her life points to drop down to two thousand three hundred. Bakura laughed and officially ended his turn, allowing Janeiro to draw a card. She was trying so hard not to lose hope, but the counter above the field - which was now displaying the number two - was not helping.

"I set a card," she stated, placing a trap card face-down on the field. "And I set another card. I end my turn."

Three.

Bakura chuckled. "My turn," he murmured, drawing a card and looking at it. There was a smug look on his face, but he did not seem keen on using whatever strategy was on his mind just yet. "There's not much for me to do, so I'll just have my Opticlops destroy your Gravekeeper's Heretic!" he announced. "Go, Opticlops! Drag her last protector to the depths of hell!"

"Not so fast!" Janeiro yelled, revealing one of her trap cards. "I activate Waboku! I take no battle damage and my Gravekeeper's Heretic cannot be destroyed by battle for the rest of this turn!"

The white-haired male huffed. "Fair enough," he uttered. "Then I end my turn."

Four.

"Hm," Janeiro responded, sliding a card from the top of her deck. She studied it carefully, and once again reminded herself of the other cards in her hand. "I discard a card," she narrated, discarding a spell card into her graveyard, "in order to summon this: Apprentice Illusion Magician!" Yet another female magician appeared on the field, and while this one was stronger it was still not strong enough to defeat Bakura's Opticlops. "Apprentice Illusion Magician allows me to add one particular card to my hand!" The young girl took a card from her deck and added it to her hand without revealing what it was to Bakura. "I then set a card and end my turn."

Five.

"Fool," Bakura insulted, drawing his next card. "I can tell that you just want to use another trap card when one of my monsters declares an attack, so I'll take out your life points another way!" The spirit revealed another spell card: Mask of the Accursed.

"I equip Mask of the Accursed to your Gravekeeper's Heretic," he said. "During each of my standby phases, you will lose five hundred life points! Not only that, but your Gravekeeper's Heretic will not be able to attack!"

"No!" Ryo reacted to Bakura's move. Clearly Bakura had multiple strategies to use against Janeiro while Janeiro had none.

"I'm going to end my turn," Bakura grinned, staring at Janeiro in a daring manner. "Go ahead and try helping your precious Gravekeeper; his fate has been sealed!"

Six.

Janeiro stared, mortified, as her monster attempted desperately to remove the mask now on his face, but it was practically glued there. The young girl tried not to let the disturbing sight distract her, drawing her next card.

"I've got it," she whispered to herself, even managing to smile confidently as she looked at Bakura. "Do you remember the card I drew thanks to Apprentice Illusion Magician's effect?" she asked. Bakura raised his eyebrow but didn't respond, prompting Janeiro to continue talking. "Well, now I can summon him by sacrificing both my Apprentice Illusion Magician and my Gravekeeper's Heretic!" Both monsters were sent to the graveyard; Mask of the Accursed had also been destroyed, thus freeing Janeiro's Gravekeeper. "Now I will summon a monster equal in strength to your Opticlops: the Dark Magician!"

"No!" Bakura rasped as before his eyes he witnessed an all-too-familiar monster appearing. There he was. The Dark Magician. He stared confidently at Janeiro's opponent as he hovered in one place.

"And now, I activate one of my face-down cards: Spellbinding Circle!" Janeiro continued, activating the trap. "I target your Opticlops, so now it cannot attack or even move a muscle!" For a moment Janeiro was considering declaring an attack, but she was still wary of what Bakura had face-down. So she ended her turn.

Seven.

"My turn," Bakura chuckled, drawing a card. He could barely contain his laughter; he was not at all intimidated by Janeiro's Dark Magician. "It's time," he announced. "I activate this spell: Contract with the Dark Master!" Opticlops and Theban Nightmare were both destroyed. "Now, with two offerings and this spell, I can summon the Dark Master himself: Zorc!"

And there, emerging from the darkness below, was Bakura's beast: the Dark Master - Zorc.

"Each turn I can roll a die to determine the fates of our monsters," Bakura told Janeiro. "But for now I will just settle my turn the old-fashioned way; Zorc, destroy her Dark Magician!"

The demon roared and did as it was told, brutally putting an end to Dark Magician's short-lived existence. Bakura laughed as Janeiro winced, seeing her life points drop down to two thousand one hundred. She still had more than him, but a lack of a strategy would surely fail her.

"I end my turn!" Bakura cackled. "It's hopeless, Janeiro; without a strategy you will not defeat me!"

Eight.

"Don't listen to him, Janeiro!" Ryo shouted suddenly. "You must believe in the heart of the cards! Trust your instincts; then you can beat him!"

"Quiet, you!" Bakura spat, causing his host to fall silent. But Ryo's words had been heard; Janeiro just had to believe.

"It's my turn, then," she gulped, taking a deep breath as she drew her next card. As of now, there was not much she could do against Zorc. "I set a monster face-down and another card face-down and end my turn."

Nine.

"Ha!" Bakura laughed. "Playing defensive, are you? That won't keep you safe for long!" Bakura drew a card, all the while keeping a smug smile on his face. "I equip Zorc with the Sword of Dark Rites, so now he has three thousand one hundred attack points!" Zorc now stood grasping a large blade, making him look even more intimidating.

"I also summon Shadowslayer and attack your life points directly!" Bakura's new monster swiftly darted past the face-down monster on Janeiro's side of the field, taking out one thousand four hundred of her life points. Now she only had seven hundred left.

Bakura laughed proudly. "You're finished, Janeiro! Go ahead and enjoy your final turn!"

Ten.

Janeiro stared at the counter. She could not build up her defenses because Shadowslayer could bypass them. She could not attack because she had no monster strong enough on the field. She could not stall by using spell and trap cards because eventually that counter would reach twenty and the duel would be over.

She stared at her deck almost fearfully.

 _"You must believe in the heart of the cards! Trust your instincts; then you can beat him!"_

How could she beat Bakura?

...No. She must not lose hope no matter what. If she lost, Bakura would become the next threat to her friends. If she lost, he would continue to torment Ryo.

So she exhaled heavily but slowly...

And drew her next card.

Her eyes went purely wide.

"Heh," Bakura reacted to the sight. "Have you finally realised that you've got no chance of winning?" Janeiro looked in his direction and slowly shook her head.

"I special summon this card from my hand," she spoke quietly.

"What?!" Bakura reacted as a level seven monster appeared in a bright flash of light. Another spellcaster. Another magician. But this magician was surely the greatest of them all.

Illuminating the darkness was Mahad the Protector Priest.

Bakura only scowled. "Tch. He's still weaker than Zorc," he hissed.

"I'm not done," Janeiro cut in. "I activate the very first trap card I lay down: Rite of Spirit! And using this card, I special summon Gravekeeper's Heretic in attack position!" Beside Mahad, the Gravekeeper once again appeared on the field. "And finally, I equip my Gravekeeper's Heretic with the Sword of Dark Destruction!" Now the Gravekeeper had two thousand two hundred defense.

"You're forgetting that I can roll a die whenever I want," Bakura pointed out, "and it will only hinder me if it lands on a six!"

"Are you willing to take such a risk, though?" Janeiro asked him. "Because if it does land on a six, you will have no monsters to protect you from my two monsters, and I doubt you have anything stronger than Zorc in your deck."

Bakura frowned. "Hmph," he reacted. "Your monsters are still not strong enough to defeat Zorc!"

"We'll see about that," Janeiro murmured. "Now then, Mahad, destroy his Dark Master and let us finish this duel!"

Face-down on Bakura's field was Dark Spirit of the Silent, but he did not feel the need to use it. Mahad was weaker than Zorc; was Janeiro that foolish?

But somehow, blasting a beam of energy from his staff, Mahad was able to defeat Zorc and reduce Bakura's life points by an agonizing one thousand nine hundred. "What?!" the teen spirit reacted, clutching his chest painfully. "But how?! This is simply not possible!"

"Mahad's attack doubles when he battles a dark monster," Janeiro explained. "He was able to overpower your Dark Master, and now only your Shadowslayer is left on the field! Gravekeeper's Heretic, destroy Shadowslayer!"

"No!" Bakura wailed as the Gravekeeper destroyed his Shadowslayer. With his life points only on a hundred before the attack and his two face-down cards now useless, the spirit's fate had been sealed.

Janeiro won.

"I did it..." the girl muttered to herself, a small smile of relief on her face. "Ryo, I did it! I won! I won the duel!"

Ryo was now free to move, so he immediately ran to Janeiro and jumped into her grasp, holding her tightly. "I was so afraid that I was going to lose you again," he said to her, burying his face in her shoulder. Janeiro clung to him, still shaky after her duel. She looked up at Mahad and he only stared back at her, giving her a single nod before vanishing with Gravekeeper's Heretic.

Bakura angrily stood himself up, letting out an irritated groan. "You won," he spat. He saw the other two grow defensive and rolled his eyes. "I've always been a man of my word, have I not? I'll let you go, but if Rena can hear me... she still has plenty to fear."

And with that, the shadows vanished, along with Bakura... for now. Ryo and Janeiro stood back in the desert together and decided that it was best for them to make their return, so they were quick to begin walking so that they could begin their journey back to the Ishtar residence.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	31. Chapter XXXI

**~Chapter XXXI~**

"I'm so glad that you're alright, Janeiro," Ryo told his friend. "I was worried that the evil spirit was going to win; did you even know which cards were in your deck?"

"No," Janeiro admitted. "I just... tried to play like how we used to when we were little. I'm not very good... but when you encouraged me to believe in myself I felt... different. Like a powerful but good force was controlling me. Not a soul or anything, just... something strong."

"Your cards were rather reflective, weren't they?" Ryo pointed out. "Are you certain Rena gave you that deck?"

"I'm certain," Janeiro confirmed.

"Hm," Ryo reacted. "How peculiar; it was a spellcaster-based deck consisting of various cards, but Rena put together the Dark Magician and Mahad the Protector Priest with Gravekeeper's Heretic. From the memories we witnessed... Mahad was an enemy in the eyes of both my ancestor and yours." Janeiro shook her head.

"Perhaps he was disliked by Nefertari, but I believe she cared about deep down," she said. "She grew up with him; he must have been like a brother to her."

"That may be so," Ryo agreed, "but even then, it's still strange that Rena would create such a deck for you..."

"Maybe she knew it would work with me," Janeiro guessed. "If she contains Nefertari's hatred and bitterness, I must contain Nefertari's softer side."

"Possibly," Ryo nodded. "But even then, Rena encouraged you to bring that good side out... Why would she help you when she's an enemy, too?"

"I'm not entirely certain," Janeiro admitted. "All I know is that Rena does not like Bakura. She might just want him out of her way, or she may have just wanted me to protect myself so she could live."

"She could have dueled herself," Ryo pointed out. "With a different deck, of course; I doubt Dark Magician or Mahad the Protector Priest would have been willing to listen to her orders." Janeiro chuckled behind her hand before patting Ryo on the back.

"Let's keep moving; we may even arrive back long before the others are due to arrive," she said as she picked up her walking pace. Ryo jogged after her.

 _..._

 _Cairo Airport, Egypt, Present Day_

Yugi dragged his suitcase through the airport after taking it from the conveyor, followed by Tea, Joey, Tristan, Sakura and Riko.

"It feels like forever since we've seen Ryo and Janeiro," Tea voiced. "Did Marik really say they were here?"

"He did," Yugi affirmed before stopping and smiling. "Speaking of Marik, look who's over there waiting for us!"

"Ey, it's Marik!" Joey grinned, waving at him. "Yo! Marik! Over here!"

Marik stood on his tip-toes to look over the crowd of people in front of him. Seeing Joey waving, he decided to smile and wave himself. The group happily walked over to him.

"Yugi," the Egyptian male greeted. "It's great to see you again!"

"You too, Marik," Yugi agreed. "It's been some time."

"Indeed; since the Pharaoh's departure," Marik recalled. Yugi's expression became slightly more solemn.

"Yeah..." he murmured.

"So, how're ya doin', Marik?" Joey asked him. "What've ya been up to all this time?"

"Me? Oh, just a little archaeology," the former tomb-keeper replied. "I could earn more money doing a different job, but I really love what I'm doing and I'm happy to do it no matter what, not to mention many associates are impressed with my knowledge of ancient tombs!"

"That's good to hear," Tea responded. "You're ahead of all of us, for sure. We're still in school."

"I'm sure you'll all do great things once school finishes for you," Marik assured. "Anyway, we can talk some more when we reach the family home; your two friends are waiting for you there and we all have a lot to discuss about this new entity and other recent events."

"Right," Yugi nodded in agreement. "Of course. Let's go guys." As the group walked, Riko leaned down and whispered into Yugi's ear casually.

"Psst. Hey. Is this guy really a friend of yours?" she asked him out of curiosity.

"Huh?" Yugi reacted. "Well, yeah. This is the guy I told you we were gonna meet."

"So this is Marik?" Riko queried.

"Yes, Riko," Yugi sighed. Riko nodded her head in understanding, but it also looked as if she was nodding with approval of something.

"Cool," she muttered. "...Is he single?" Sakura was the one to pull her back, to which the black-haired girl exclaimed "Hey!" in frustration. Her outburst caused Marik to glance back at them while walking.

"Hey, Yugi, are those two also your friends?" he questioned. Yugi glanced at the two squabbling girls and then glanced back at the light-haired man as he paced.

"Yeah, they are," he answered. "We started talking to them recently but they've always been students at Domino High."

"I see," Marik responded, continuing on with the walk out of the airport.

 _..._

 _Ishtar Residence, Cairo, Present Day_

Ryo and Janeiro were sat with Ishizu and Odion, talking about general topics as they waited for Marik to return with the others. All three siblings knew briefly about the experiences Ryo and Janeiro had on their day trip, but they had encouraged to pair to save the details for when Yugi and the others arrived.

Then finally the door opened, and in entered Marik with the group of Domino High students. Ryo stood up with glee upon seeing them, smiling and almost skipping over. "Yugi!" he reacted to the sight.

"Ryo, you're alright!" Yugi beamed with relief. "And Janeiro, you are, too!" Janeiro was still shy around this group but smiled and nodded at Yugi, standing up and joining Ryo's side.

"It's been a while," she noted, her smile then fading as she glanced at the floor. "Sorry if I hurt any of you; I could not control Rena..."

"Your other personality?" Yugi queried, then giving her a reassuring smile. "Hey, none of it was your fault, Janeiro."

"I think Yugi is used to being hurt by evil alter-egos," Marik chimed in, prompting the others to laugh or just simply smile at his humour. Janeiro was included with those who chose to laugh, as was Ryo.

Ishizu stood herself up. "It would be great to talk and catch up with one another, but there are more important things to discuss," she sadly pointed out. "Ryo and Janeiro found out some more information today regarding current events; in fact, they found out a lot. Now we just need to find the remaining pieces of the puzzle so that the puzzle can be put together."

"Right," Yugi nodded, looking at his other two friends. Ryo was awkwardly scratching his head, looking away, while Janeiro rubbed her arm uncomfortably.

"Well, first the evil spirit of the Millennium Ring trapped us both in the Shadow Realm," he explained. "Janeiro and I were able to witness events of the past involving the Thief King and the Queen of Outcasts while we were trapped there."

"The Thief King?" Yugi gasped. "You mean the one who summoned Zorc?"

"Yes," Ryo nodded sadly.

"And the Queen of Outcasts?" Yugi continued. "Who was she?"

"My ancestor," Janeiro spoke up. "She's the one mentioned in Rena's riddle which she left to you, and the king is the Thief King."

Yugi pulled out the riddle, turning it over onto the back to look at the translation he had written down so that he could examine each line. "I don't get it..." he admitted. "The King of Thieves? The Queen of Outcasts? Why are they relevant?

"I think the explanation for that is clear," Ryo answered. "Janeiro and I are their reincarnations, and ever since we reunited with one another all of these events have occurred."

"But why them?" Yugi queried. "Is this all because of Zorc again?"

"Not quite," Ryo replied. "There's another ancient evil force; one which even Zorc was wary of. His name was Apophis, and Janeiro and I believe that he is also behind the creation of Rena."

"Apophis..." Yugi repeated to himself. "He was the god of chaos and destruction in Ancient Egypt."

"Yes," Ryo confirmed. "And he was no mythological figure. He was very real indeed."

"You said that you and Janeiro discovered something about Apophis today at the site of El-Isfet," Ishizu spoke up.

"Ah, yes," Ryo recalled. "An ancient spirit appeared to us and told us that Apophis once had a mortal body, and in his last moments before death he declared that he would return when the souls of Akefia the Thief King and Nefertari the Outcast Queen were reunited. That's why all of this chaos is happening; Janeiro and I host the souls of the two he had cursed, and now he is awakening."

"Well, how do we stop him?" Tristan queried impatiently. "We can't just sit by and wait for him to appear!"

"We're not going to," Yugi assured him. "We're going to stop him once we find out how to; hopefully the tomb Marik found will contain the secrets we need."

"We must also be wary of Yami Bakura," Marik warned. "He may not be the biggest threat just yet, but he is still no ally to us."

"Right," Yugi agreed.

"I think it's time for Ryo and Janeiro to tell us everything they witnessed while in the Shadow Realm," Marik decided. "Yugi, you and your friends may begin to understand the events a lot more if you listen to them."

So for the rest of the evening, Ryo told Yugi and the others about what had been seen in the memories. He had chosen not to speak much about Kiro and Akuma for the sake of Riko and Sakura, solely focusing on Akefia and Nefertari. Janeiro spoke up every now and then, mostly to give more detail regarding Nefertari's actions and lifestyle. Then, after all the serious talking, everyone just decided to catch up with one another. Riko and Sakura were formally introduced to Marik, Ishizu and Odion; they talked about general interests, although Riko seemed to be too focused on Marik.

When night finally fell, Ryo and Janeiro retired to their spare room together and lay down their respective beds. They were both laying in thoughtful positions; they held their hands to their stomach as they stared up at the ceiling.

"So," Ryo began, still staring at the ceiling as he spoke, "who do you think had connections to Apophis?"

"Huh?" Janeiro responded, briefly glancing at him. Ryo's brown eyes met hers.

"The others will never understand the individuals we encountered in those memories," he explained. "Somebody in those memories has to be connected with Apophis."

"Hm," Janeiro thought, looking back up at the ceiling as she tried to remember everyone. "I doubt Tauren had anything to do with Apophis; he was always so kind, and even now he still maintains his loyalty to his long-gone queen."

"True," Ryo agreed. "And Haku was by no means a corrupt man, either. He was the one who helped maintain El-Isfet and worked close to Nefertari."

"I was thinking either Kekku or Sabu, but they were both killed during the last battle we witnessed," Janeiro recalled. "Sabu is the only one I can think of who hated the queen _and_ hated Egypt; Kekku only seemed to hate Egypt."

"What about Kiro and Akuma?" Ryo asked.

"They were both sealed away," Janeiro answered. "They are still sealed within those items to this day and I doubt they have ever been released since their imprisonment. Also, they never seemed like they wanted to aid Apophis; they worked only for themselves."

"Fair enough," Ryo murmured. He paused to think a little more. "That Anku fellow seemed rather mysterious; he acted in a slimy manner, too."

"I thought the same thing," Janeiro agreed with him, "but he did not hate the thief or the queen. He may have appeared sly, but he had no reason to want to destroy Egypt. Don't forget he also helped stop the Desert Children."

"Very well, Anku is also innocent," Ryo finalised. Once again there was a pause, but after some time of thinking Janeiro was the one to speak.

"What about Akuto?" she asked. "He was the queen's prisoner and only fought the Desert Children so that after the battle he could be freed. He left El-Isfet and I doubt he ever returned. While he may have abandoned his raiding ways, he may have changed for the worst. What if he wanted revenge on Akefia for torturing him and Nefertari for imprisoning him?"

"That sounds about right," Ryo responded. "He was the only surviving bandit from the first battle. He never seemed to truly regret the choices he made; perhaps he fled the village after the Desert Children were defeated and got himself arrested, and at the time of his execution he swore to return for revenge."

"How would he have gained Apophis' soul?" Janeiro asked. "I must say, Apophis doesn't fit into this theory..."

"Akuto may have found the queen," Ryo theorized. "He may have found her hiding place and given her hideout away. At that moment, Apophis may have decided to reside within him instead."

"Perhaps," Janeiro agreed before letting out a sigh. "I suppose we won't be able to know until we explore Nefertari's tomb tomorrow; then we may get the answers we need."

"Right," Ryo nodded. "Let us rest for now, then; we need to wake up rather early."

The pair both chose to rest, but in the silence Janeiro found herself thinking before she started to dream. She remembered the very first memory she witnessed; a child had interacted with her and claimed to have lost his father. That child had to be connected to something. He had purple eyes and fluffy white hair - he looked like Ryo.

No, he looked like a young Akefia.

But why would Akefia interact with a shadow?

Who was that child?

 _..._

 _Nefertari's Tomb, Egypt, Present Day_

Marik was showing the others the burial chamber of Nefertari's tomb while Ryo and Janeiro chose to quietly walk further within, with Ryo even attempting to retrace some of the steps made by his ancestor.

The wandered through a narrow hallway and found a small treasure room. "Huh," Ryo reacted. "Another room of her possessions."

Janeiro examined everything carefully and thoughtfully, tracing her hand up a spear which was leaning against a wall. "This was her main spear," she remembered. "She would use this like a royal staff or a brutal weapon."

"It's amazing that it's still here," Ryo acknowledged.

"Indeed," Janeiro replied, taking her hand away from the large weapon as she looked around some more.

Then, in the centre of the room, something began to appear. Ryo and Janeiro both jumped and stepped back in fear, staring at whatever it was, before seeing that it was a person. Another spirit, this time with black and orange eyes and magenta hair.

Anku.

"You're Anku..." Janeiro gasped. "You're another spellcaster like Tauren, I remember you...!"

"I know you remember me," Anku stated with a small smile on his face. "You witnessed the memories of the lives you once lived. You saw the tragedy of two souls who could not fall in love because of the surrounding danger, and now you can see that the danger is returning to haunt you both."

"But why?" Ryo asked him.

"You are being tormented for reasons you cannot understand," Anku explained. "Thinks may be... misconstrued."

"How so?" Ryo queried. "What is it that we cannot understand? What have we failed to interpret correctly?"

"I cannot explain," Anku answered. "Your minds cannot be made to see differently unless you change your thoughts alone."

"About what?" Ryo pressed. "Why does Apophis want us to be hurt?"

"Exactly," Anku said. "Why would Apophis want to harm you? Look at this question from a different perspective."

There was a thoughtful pause before Anku continued speaking.

"I am here to protect Nefertari's tomb," he told them. "My purpose is not to talk about the Apophis who you see here." With a wave of his wand, a transparent figure emerged. A vision. A pale-skinned man with a wide grin on his face, his front teeth appearing like snake fangs. His tongue was long and forked and his hair was long and white. He wore a robe consisting of black and green and his eyes were golden with black selcra, his pupils slit.

"This man is the Apophis you will soon encounter," he clarified. "This is not the man I am to tell you about. Instead I must show you a different story; the story of a man who ached for all his life. Apophis has tampered with this man's memories, but some have remained untouched. Ones which were either too powerful to be destroyed or considered not to be important. You will see as many memories as you can, but some may be false."

The vision of the human form of Apophis shifted, changing into a different man. This time a young Egyptian man in torn rags appeared, a scar of an ankh visible on his upper arm. The man had fluffy white hair and large purple eyes. Vertical black stripes were tattooed down his eyes, the stripes not long enough to travel down his cheeks.

Janeiro tilted her head. "He looks familiar..." she murmured, squinting her eyes to see better. His face was somewhat familiar, and then suddenly it came to her. This man had to be the grown version of the child in her memories.

"This is Ramses," Anku introduced. "A man erased from the memories of others. Perhaps if you two witness the only memories I can conjure then you can decipher the reason for Apophis trying to make everybody forget him."

Janeiro stared up at the man. Ramses. That name also rang a bell. Who was he?

She and Ryo were both about to find out.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	32. Chapter XXXII

**~Chapter XXXII~**

 _Somewhere in Egypt, long ago..._

 _Ramses' age: 5_

The streets of the Capital were ruthless to the unfortunate. A child begging for food would only be kicked to the ground and scared away. Not even bread too old for sale would be given to the beggars.

Ramses was only a young boy dressed in rags, lying on the jagged cobbles in a small alleyway. He was filthy. He was bruised. He was starving. But nobody washed him. Nobody healed him. Nobody fed him.

Although he recently lost his only guardian, Ramses was already used to this life. He knew that pleading for help would do him no good. He knew that nobody would care for him, but he was too young and weak to care for himself. He was simply waiting to die so that he could see his guardian again, or maybe even meet his real parents for the first time.

A small basket caught his attention after he realised that he was in too much pain to sleep. It had just been left there further into the alley. Ramses decided to drag himself closer, curious to see if maybe there was food in this container. He knew that it was unlikely; maybe this was just one large hallucination. Either way, he chose to remove the lid. If he wasn't so weary from his sickness he may have jumped back in fear or put the lid back on, but he barely reacted to what he saw. A cobra was swift to hiss and flare its hood, rearing up at the child.

Ramses could only stare at it with tired eyes. He felt no fear. Cobras were venomous and vicious, but death to him would be merciful. But Ramses noticed that the mouth of the snake had been bound, and the reptile seemed weak and sick itself.

During his first few days of wandering the streets, Ramses had seen men playing instruments to make snakes dance from baskets such as the one he had just found. He remembered seeing the act as cruel, for he knew that snakes did not dance. They always seemed threatened and afraid of the men playing music for them, and they always had their mouths bound shut. Ramses would ask himself how it was possible to feed these snakes, assuming that the men would untie their mouths for feeding, but it was quite clear that once the snake grew hungry they would simply be killed or discarded. Obviously this cobra before him was no longer able to "dance" for his master, so now he had been sentenced to death.

Ramses reached his little hands out so that he could free the snake's mouth, watching as the reptile stretched its jaws as if yawning. The boy stared at the cobra, waiting for it to strike and end his meaningless life, but it didn't. Ramses tilted his head to the side, nudging its cheek a few times with his finger. It simply stared up at him with its big black eyes and flicked its tongue, its hood even lowering. Ramses sighed quietly and slumped back against the wall, closing his eyes. The snake must have spent too long to understand how to bite its prey.

But Ramses suddenly felt something slithering up his body. His eyes opened and he lifted his head slightly, seeing the cobra rearing up at him again. Its face was close to his and it flicked its tongue, tickling the human child's nose. Ramses giggled quietly for the first time in a while, reaching his hand up to gently stroke the top of the cobra's head. It did not hiss or flare its hood; it let Ramses pet it.

Ramses chose to lie down, holding the snake to his chest as he smiled weakly to himself. The venomous reptile made itself comfortable, curling up in his arms and snuggling against him. They were both able to sleep soundly.

 _..._

 _Ramses' age: 12_

The Snake Whisperer. That's the title he earned himself. Some even called him the King Cobra, because even the most aggressive of snakes would respond to him.

He walked through the streets with his loyal companion sitting on his shoulder. Zosar was the name given to the black and yellow cobra who was found by Ramses all that time ago; a name fit only for a king.

The silver-haired man spotted a crowd gathered around a snake charmer, mesmerised by his skills at making a horned viper dance to his tunes. Ramses approached the crowd and observed for a few moments, unnoticed, before he spoke up.

"See if he dances for you with his mouth unbound," he dared. The snake charmer stopped and looked at his audience to find the one who had the audacity to oppose him. His eyes immediately locked onto Ramses and he frowned.

"Only a fool would charm a snake without restraints, boy," he excused. "That one on your shoulder must have no fangs!" Ramses simply held out his arm, allowing Zosar to slither down and rest his head in his palm. Using his thumb, Ramses stroked the side of his face. Zosar opened his mouth wide, revealing his venomous fangs.

"A true snake charmer brings no harm to his snakes," the purple-eyed boy stated. "Without the snake, nobody would be standing here watching you perform. The snake is a partner and deserves equal respect."

"A snake does not understand respect," the snake charmer countered, eyes locked onto Zosar warily. "Without restrains it is nothing but a fierce predator!"

Ramses stepped forward and held Zosar closer to the man, seeing him flinch. "Hold him," he said calmly. The snake charmer immediately became fearful and flinched again after hearing Zosar letting out a loud hissing sound. Ramses frowned and simply placed Zosar onto the floor. The cobra made no attempt to attack the snake charmer but did indeed find satisfaction in intimidating him.

The crowd watched as Ramses knelt before the basket, observing as he carefully untied the viper. The viper hissed at first but seemed to grow calm, sliding out of the basket. It slithered up Ramses' arm and the young boy held it to his face. It made no attempt to bite him.

As Ramses stood up and turned to face the snake charmer, the world began to distort. **A black cobra slithered through the crowd towards Ramses and reared up at him. It would not yield to his control and it tried to bite his ankle, but Ramses was quick to flee with Zosar and the horned viper.**

 _..._

 _Ramses' age: 13_

The best moments of Ramses' life were about to come to an end. He became a famous face in the streets and he would perform for money. Many snakes would perform with him, including Zosar. The audience would even bring meat for the snakes and Ramses would feed them from his hand. It truly was an amazing time.

But his career made many snake charmers suffer. They would lose their snakes and their crowds. Ramses was stealing them away with his shows, so naturally they chose to band together to work against him.

A rumour was quick to spread. Ramses was accused of witchcraft. He was accused of black magic. Some even heard that Ramses was plotting to overthrow Pharaoh Seto.

Ramses' crowds became smaller and smaller, and people started to be afraid of him.

One day he was found drinking from the Nile with many of his snakes surrounding him. It was quiet and peaceful, until Ramses suddenly raised his head to see that he was surrounded by Seto's guards. He did nothing to provoke them, but they were violent. They beat him to the ground and slaughtered every last snake, dragging the young teenager by force. He cried out in horror at the sight of the dead reptiles; they were the only friends he had.

He was taken to the palace and was made to stand opposite Seto's throne, trembling with tears staining his cheeks.

"Pharaoh, this boy has the power to communicate with animals," explained one of the guards. "He has abused his power to threaten the snake charmers in the city and he has ruined their lives with his black magic."

"I didn't do anything!" Ramses cried, but he was struck in the face by another guard standing by him.

"Do not speak unless the Pharaoh commands it!" he snapped, causing the boy to fall silent and lower his head.

Seto eyed the boy for a moment. "He's only a child," he said. "Where are his parents?"

"He has none, sir," a guard answered.

"Hmph," Seto huffed. "Throw him back into the streets without punishment. But, if I do see you again, snake whisperer, then I will not be so kind."

Seto had made it clear that he was not a soft ruler, but not entirely cruel. Ramses was thrown back into the streets where he solemnly made his way back to the bodies of the dead snakes. He chose to bury them, but he broke down crying when he found the body of Zosar. A part of him had hoped that he would've escaped or survived, but luck was not on his side.

 **As he buried the snakes, Ramses felt himself growing angrier and angrier. Everything had been taken away from him by these people. Now he had nothing. People were beginning to forget what they loved about him. Some would spit at him and throw stones at him, and so his hate only grew.**

 **He looked towards the palace and decided that he would get his revenge.**

 _..._

 _Ramses' age: 16_

There was a somewhat darker look to Ramses now, with black lines down his eyes and a branded scar of an ankh on his upper arm. He stood by the Nile with his wrists bound together and heavy stones dangling from them, a crowd of people watching the following scenario almost eagerly.

"You have committed many crimes, Ramses," Seto told him. "The practice of black magic. Theft. Tomb theft. Assault. Rebllion."

 **"I have," Ramses agreed.**

 **"You attacked High Priestess Mana in order to claim her Millennium Ring," Seto continued. "And upon wearing it, your soul should have been burned away." Distortion in the memory cut Seto's words short so Ramses spoke instead.**

 **"My soul is powerful," he chuckled. "The hate I feel for you and the people of Egypt has made me strong enough to withstand such power; you said it yourself that I am one who uses black magic."**

 **Seto frowned and pointed the Millennium Rod in his direction. "You're a vile man, Ramses. The embodiment of pure evil. That is why you will be sentenced to death for your crimes!"**

 **Ramses burst out laughing but eerily turned his head. "I know you're watching, Nefertari. You too, Akefia. Did you really think I'd let you see this man's true life? I think you've seen enough!"**

 _..._

 _Nefertari's Tomb, Egypt, Present Day_

The memories came to an abrupt end. Anku merely frowned, lowering his wand. "Apophis..." he muttered.

Janeiro held onto Ryo, shaking. "I don't understand," she whimpered. "What does he want?!"

"He wants the world to end," Anku answered simply. "He wants to take over before Zorc does, that is why he is in such a hurry."

"But what about Ramses?" Ryo asked.

"I have studied these very memories for thousands of years," Anku admitted. "Apophis keeps meddling with them. I believe that Ramses may have been his eternal rival, possibly the mortal form of Wadjet, but your theory is as good as my own."

"Ra was the nemesis of Apophis," Ryo recalled. "Ramses quite literally translates to "born of Ra", possibly meaning that Ramses was Ra's son."

"Perhaps," Anku agreed. "But with these memories constantly being tampered with, the Ramses we see there may be very different to the one who lived all those years ago."

"Did anybody know him?" Janeiro queried. "Like you or Servus or... well, anyone?"

"If anybody knew him, they kept it a secret from the rest of the world," Anku replied. "Or Apophis erased all memories anyone ever had of him."

"I bet Apophis messed with him even back then," Janeiro guessed. "I bet he made people hate him and spread those rumours about him! Ramses must have been very powerful; too powerful for Apophis to defeat!"

"All of this may be true," Anku stated, "but we will never know the truth. Not yet, at least. Apophis will reveal himself to you in his human form, and you must defeat him. Maybe then the truth will finally be revealed."

"We can only hope so," Ryo murmured.

Back in the burial chamber, Marik was talking to Yugi about the paintings of Nefertari's life and the painting of the Thief King. Riko had only listened just to make a good impression, but she was quickly distracted by other objects in the room. She was almost being called over to a pile of treasures...

Sakura watched her and rolled her eyes, walking after her. "You should leave these artifacts alone," she whispered. "They're ancient and they belong to Nefertari."

But Sakura could feel it to. That beckoning sensation...

"I can't help it, these objects are just so precious," Riko said, almost as if in a trance as she dug about the pile. There she found a golden sceptre with a gleaming green jewel on the end. Sakura showed no interest in the sceptre, instead deciding to pull out a dark scythe with an eerie aura.

They had no idea that their souls were merging with the corrupted spirits of Kiro and Akuma.

A rumbling sensation shook the tomb. Ryo and Janeiro glanced around fearfully, and even Anku seemed cautious.

"It has begun," he declared before vanishing.

"He's gone...!" Janeiro gasped, almost feeling betrayed that Anku chose to leave them.

"The tomb could be collapsing," Ryo told her. "Let's go! Quickly!" He grabbed her wrist and ran, heading back towards the others who had already reached the same conclusion as he had. Marik was hurrying everyone out of the tomb, but Janeiro pulled her hand away from Ryo's.

"Riko!" she called out. "Sakura! Come on now, we must leave!"

"I'll get them," Marik assured, marching towards the tomb entrance. He was about to pull Janeiro out and enter the tomb himself, but suddenly the entrance of the tomb collapsed. Ryo froze in horror.

"Janeiro!" he cried, running to the rubble and attempting to move it. "Janeiro, are you alright?!"

Not again. He couldn't lose her again.

No, not even that. He couldn't grieve for another loved one again. He had grieved for his mother. He had grieved for Amane. Must he grieve for his best friend?

"Ryo, I'm alright...!" Janeiro assured him. "B-But it is very dark..."

Ryo let out a silent exhale of relief. "Thank goodness..." he muttered. "Don't worry! We'll help you get out of there! Just hold on, alright?!"

"Okay..." Janeiro whimpered. A chill was sent down Ryo's spine when he heard a cold feminine laughter behind the collapsed stones.

"Don't worry, we'll keep you company~" the voice giggled.

 _..._

 _The Shadow Realm_

Bakura saw Rena standing thoughtfully as she observed the events in the dark tomb. This was the first time Bakura had seen her since she left his temporary body. With a frown he approached her, ready for a fight if necessary.

"They're out," the female spirit spoke, knowing Bakura was there. "I knew this day would come."

"Perhaps you should have killed them back in Ancient Egypt," Bakura huffed. Rena frowned and turned to stare at him with hatred.

"Stop speaking to me as if I am that wretched queen!" she hollered, marching over to him and raising her hand to strike his cheek, only to be stopped as he easily caught her wrist.

"You are the queen," he corrected. "You are her eternal hatred, brought to life by the eternal hatred of the red-cloaked thief." He released her wrist, though her expression of anger did not relax. "You hate being connected to that queen much as I hate being connected to that thief, but no matter how hard we try we were still once part of them. I still hear the screams of the villagers living in Kul Elna. I still feel the thief's fear as he watched as everyone he knew and loved were used as mere ingredients." The evil spirit narrowed his eyes. "You cannot deny that you also contain the memories of the one who merged with an evil spirit."

Rena stared at him with fire in her eyes but lowered her arm, her expression almost becoming fearful. He was right. No matter who she claimed to be - Zorc, Apophis, Janeiro - she would always remember living Nefertari's life. She remembered how much Nefertari hated seeing slaves being whipped and abused. She remembered how much Nefertari hated seeing prisoners trialled for a crime so petty. She remembered how much Nefertari hated the Capital itself.

But Nefertari wasn't as hateful as many remembered her to be. Nefertari loved her mother before she died. Nefertari once loved her father before seeing his flaws. Nefertari loved Mahad as a friend and brother-figure since everyone else seemed to demonize her while he stayed by her until the very end. But most of all, Nefertari loved the red-cloaked thief.

Yet Rena felt nothing. She stared at Bakura and felt nothing. But the Nefertari within her wanted to cry on his shoulder, because somewhere within him was the remainder of Akefia's soul, but Akefia had lost all of his positive emotions. The Akefia within Bakura would want to kill Nefertari and torment her. The new Akefia hated her for the time she made him weak.

The Akefia Nefertari knew was gone. Now he was just Bakura.

Bakura knew that Rena was having these thoughts due to the fear and sorrow growing in her eyes, causing him to react with a malicious grin. "Three years merging with Apophis and myself was clearly not enough to destroy you, Nefertari," he mocked. "I can assure you, you and I won't be rekindling our relationship any time soon; I'd much rather see what happens when your former advisors turn on you!"

That was Akefia talking, or whatever remained of him. All along Bakura had kept his memories as Akefia silent and at the back of his mind, but now they had resurfaced.

If more of Nefertari's soul remained then no doubt Rena would be upset, but she felt nothing but hate. Zorc had done this to both Nefertari and Akefia. Zorc had killed Akefia and was holding his soul prisoner while slowly absorbing it. It made Rena hate Bakura even more than she already did; he was the man her soul was made to be with, but at the same time he was her nemesis.

Akefia and Nefertari.

Zorc and Apophis.

These soul combinations created great conflicts for them both.

"You might want to look at what's going on in that tomb," Bakura smirked. "Little Janeiro seems to be in quite a bit of trouble." Rena turned her head to the ground and saw that Bakura was correct; Janeiro was at Akuma's mercy.

 _..._

 _Nefertari's Tomb, Egypt, Present Day_

Akuma stood with her arm resting beside Janeiro's head, blocking the girl from moving to escape her. A sadistic grin was on the blonde girl's face.

"I know you're in there, Rena," Akuma giggled. "That's right, I know your new name. Sakura has found out a lot for me!"

"You may as well stop hiding behind Janeiro's innocent little face," Kiro added, standing behind Akuma with her arms folded. "Either way, we'll have fun torturing you until you die!"

"Leave her alone!" Ryo shouted from the other side of the rubble. "Please, leave her alone!"

Janeiro stood trembling, staring with wide eyes at the evil spirit of the scythe. She wasn't even listening to Ryo at this moment; she was too terrified.

Akuma glanced back at Kiro. "It looks like she doesn't want to play," she pouted falsely. "Let's play with Janeiro instead!"

Kiro grinned widely. "That sounds like a great idea!" she chirped.

"N-No, please..." Janeiro whimpered. "I-I don't want anything to do with Rena, I-I'm not trying to hide her...!"

"Aw, look at that!" Akuma reacted, tilting Janeiro's chin up. "She's already afraid. This is definitely going to be fun!"

Janeiro closed her eyes fearfully, protecting her face with her hands as she shivered. She felt something sharp dig into her chest suddenly, but the moment her eyes re-opened she was not in the dark tomb. Instead she found herself lying on a bed in a hospital ward, hearing the beeping sound of the heart monitor.

Akuma explored around her thoughtfully. "Well, isn't this a modern scene?" she asked herself with an insane smile. "Your soul room is... one of these places. Something must have made this setting rather important in your life; let's explore your darkest memories to find out!"

In the blink of an eye Janeiro was back in Ryo's old house, and before her stood Bakura. He stepped towards her with a grin on his face, scissors in hand. Janeiro stepped back, now knowing what would happen if she tackled him for the Millennium Ring.

"Make it stop..." she begged. She only listened to Akuma's laughter as Bakura thrust his hand forward to attack her with the pair of scissors, only for the memory to switch to a new one. One in the hospital.

Janeiro sat herself up and got out of bed during the night, leaving the hospital despite her weakness. She walked all the way home and forced an entry, disturbing her parents as they slept.

"Janeiro! You're awake!" gasped her mother, a look of relief on her face. Her father seemed worried.

"You look unwell," he noticed. "You look thin and pale, and your eyes are so dark... and your hair is in such a mess."

Janeiro's mother frowned with concern. "You do look sick," she agreed. "Why did they let you out...? Wait... did you walk here?"

"...Janeiro?" her father called softly. She did not respond.

Instead she just clutched the medical scalpel which she brought all the way here.

The Janeiro witnessing the memories tried to fight back but couldn't. All she could do was watch as she stepped closer and closer to her parents. No... this was Rena testing out her new body.

This was a memory Janeiro had tried to erase from her memory. One she was so ashamed of.

The true memory showing the fate of her parents.

The memory of Rena murdering them.

Janeiro howled as the memory came to an end and she broke down on the hospital bed in her soul room. Akuma was crying with laughter.

"Your cries are so pathetic!" she mocked. "You're nothing like Rena or Nefertari; you're weak! Let's break you even more!"

A memory started to form, this time showing Ryo on the night he came to visit her. The night where Rena hurt him in order to bring back Bakura.

But the memory would not form.

Akuma frowned. "Why am I being prevented from seeing the next episode of your pain?" she questioned. "I want to see why this memory hurts you!"

The memory began to transform into a different one. Ryo was lying sick in bed, his eyes dark from tiredness. His father opened the door to his room, allowing Janeiro to walk inside with a book in her arms. Ryo turned to look at her, surprised that she even bothered to visit him.

"You weren't in school today," she said quietly, sitting beside him on the bed. "I was really worried; you get sick a lot..."

"I know..." Ryo sighed softly. "It's not good... I keep missing work..."

"Don't worry, when you get better I can help you learn everything you've missed," Janeiro assured with a kind smile. "But right now you shouldn't worry so much about work; you need plenty of rest." The blue-haired girl placed the book on his stomach since he was lying down under his duvet. "Here. I bought this book for you today. It's about Ancient Egypt; I know how much you love to learn about it, so when I saw this book I immediately thought of you."

Ryo opened the book with wide eyes, amazed that Janeiro even bothered to buy him a gift. His brown eyes met hers. "Janeiro, this is wonderful..." he gasped. "How... How can I thank you enough...?"

"You can thank me by getting better," Janeiro answered. "I... I get really worried about you..."

Ryo smiled. "It's nothing serious..." he assured. "Believe me, I'll be alright..."

"Promise?" Janeiro asked.

"I promise," Ryo responded.

Akuma frowned. "This is not the kind of memory I want," she complained, clicking her fingers. A memory of an even younger Janeiro was the one to appear. Some boys pushed her off a swing and took away a book she was reading. This seemed like a hurtful memory, so Akuma grinned once again.

"Look; she's reading a baby book again!" one laughed.

"Kiki the Bunny? Ew, this is for babies!" mocked the boy holding the book.

"N-No, it's not..." Janeiro whimpered, only to be kicked in the ribs.

"Babies can't talk!" teased the boy who kicked her.

The boys laughed together, holding the book in front of her and pulling it away when she tried to grab it. The book was thrown to the floor and stomped on, making it crumpled and covered with mud. Janeiro tried to grab the book but her fingers were stepped on, causing her to cry in both pain and sadness.

"Oi!" yelled the soft voice belonging to Ryo. "It isn't nice to hurt girls!"

The boys turned and scoffed. "You never complain when we hurt you, Bakura!"

"Leave Janeiro alone right now!" Ryo demanded. The tallest boy walked right over to him, needing to lean down to get in his face.

"Or else what?" he asked. He pulled Ryo's hair, causing him to wince. "You're gonna cry, too?"

Ryo growled and bit his hand suddenly. The boy yelped and pulled his hand away, but the group shoved Ryo to the floor and started to kick him in the back, the ribs and the head. Ryo remained curled up on the floor until the boys decided to leave, and that was when tears were leaving his eyes.

Janeiro scrambled over and shook him. "Ryo!" she whimpered. "Ryo, they hurt you! You're bruised!"

Ryo opened his eyes and looked up at her, still with tears in his eyes. However, he managed to smile and held up Janeiro's book which he had been curled up around throughout the whole ordeal. "Here you go," he whispered. Janeiro gasped but looked back at Ryo.

"You didn't have to..." she said. Ryo sat himself up, rubbing his head.

"You're my friend," he answered. "You would do the same for me... right...?"

Janeiro sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes, wrapping her arms around him. "Ryo..." she whimpered again. Ryo only held her with a small smile on his face. Pain was not a huge deal for him; he'd get hurt for any of his friends if they were in trouble.

Akuma grumbled irritably. "Well, aren't you a little sweetie-pie?" she muttered, returning Janeiro to her soul room. "Your life-long friendship is saving you, how... typical."

"It's not just her pathetic friendship," came a gruff voice. Both Janeiro and Akuma turned their heads to see Bakura standing with his arms folded. Akuma seemed confused while Janeiro seemed terrified.

"Oh, have you come to save her?" Akuma guessed. Bakura chuckled darkly.

"Not quite," he replied. "I believe you're looking for this one." He opened up a portal to the Shadow Realm and pulled out Rena, shoving her to the floor. Rena glared up at Akuma with hatred, gritting her teeth almost painfully. Akuma couldn't help but smirk and giggle.

"Now the fun can begin!" she laughed.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	33. Chapter XXXIII

**~Chapter XXXIII~**

Bakura stepped forwards and grabbed Janeiro by her arm, causing the girl to flinch. "W-Why are you...?" she stammered.

"If you think I'm doing this to protect you then you may have been misinformed," Bakura interrupted. "I want Rena out of my way, and her wariness of these two women has made me very curious."

Janeiro said nothing else as she was dragged out of her own soul room and into the Shadow Realm, being roughly thrown to the floor before Bakura grabbed her hair and forced her to watch the upcoming events through a portal.

Rena scowled at Akuma, narrowing her black-rimmed eyes. Akuma's grin went from ear to ear as she stepped closer to her prey, the hospital setting distorting and shaping into an empty room much like an ancient dungeon or tomb. This was Rena's soul room; it was significantly more empty than Janeiro's.

"You hide your fears well, my queen," Akuma chuckled, "but you're forgetting that I know you. I know everything about you. I know exactly what you're afraid of, and I can pull it all out of you!"

"I'm not your queen," Rena spat, forcing herself to stand before being kicked back down to her knees.

"Oh, don't be silly, I can tell you're still in there, Nefertari," Akuma scoffed, grabbing the girl's face. "Let's break you a little; your confidence has grown too much. You don't deserve to be so proud!"

"Silence!" Rena barked, but this time she was kicked onto her back. Akuma waved her scythe, watching as shadows began to form. Rena could only glower, refusing to show any fear. Akuma was not going to get to her.

The shadows began to form a human shape and a voice echoed from the figure. "Neffy," it spoke. It wasn't Akefia. The voice had a softness to it; Akefia had a rough voice. Rena almost grimaced, deciding to turn her head so that she couldn't see who the man was appearing before her.

"Neffy, look at everything you have done." The voice was full of disappointment. Rena clenched her teeth together.

"I won't fall for your tricks, Akuma," she spat.

"Your village fell because of you," the voice stated. "Your people suffered. You hurt people, and now you're hurting people. You couldn't even protect your thief."

"Shut up, Mahad!" Rena screamed, clutching her head.

Mahad frowned, stepping closer to her. "Why are you afraid of me? Why am I here, as something you fear?"

Rena huffed, finally glaring at the phantom of Mahad. "I'd never fear you, you pathetic priest!"

"I'm here because I killed you," Mahad continued emotionlessly. "I took away your life during that trial. And not long after you died, I killed the man you loved. That thief."

"I'm not the one who loved the thief!" Rena hissed. "Nefertari is gone, and so are you!"

"He killed me, Neffy," came Akefia's voice, catching Rena off guard. "Your priest friend was the one who killed me, and now I'm gone forever. We can never be happy together; he destroyed me for good."

Akefia stepped closer, a sad expression on his worn face. Mahad turned to him and pointed his sceptre.

"Perhaps she'll learn her lesson if she watches it happen," he responded, then slowly twisting his neck to look back at Rena. "Or maybe we need to dig a little deeper."

"I will not be tormented by shadow puppets!" Rena yelled. "You are a coward, Akuma! Face me yourself!"

Mahad grabbed Rena by the arms, forcing her to watch as Akefia began to dissolve and turn into sand. A horrified expression covered his face as he watched his own hands melting, trying desperately to claw at his face. "No!" he cried, wide eyes on Rena as he reached out to her. "Nefertari, it hurts...! Zorc is doing this, make it stop...!"

Rena's expression, while slightly disturbed, did not allow her to express fear or concern. She knew that this was just a shadow of Akefia, and even then she barely cared for that man anymore. Seeing this pathetic version of him was somewhat amusing.

But she suddenly felt something else disturbing her. While still being held by Mahad she was forced to feel ill. She was sick. She was weak. Her knees gave way but Mahad was holding her up. Her head lowered for a moment, but she caught sight of a black snake with red eyes slithering towards her. She scowled as the snake wrapped around her leg, but as she lifted her head she saw Akuto walking towards her with his own empty expression.

She was too sick to try moving, but even if she was well she was still being held firmly by the false Mahad. Akuto stepped closer and closer until he was merely inches away. He gazed down at her with his magenta eyes, frowning a little.

An infant's cry began to echo through the room and Rena could feel herself heaving. She wanted to vomit but even if she forced herself she could not bring anything up. The crying sound got louder, and true voices finally rang through her head. Nefertari's memories.

 _"Akuto..."_

 _"Please, Akuto..."_

 _"Mahad...!"_

 _"Take him, please..."_

 _"Mahad!"_

 _"Don't..."_

 _"Please..."_

 _"Protect him..."_

 _"No..."_

 _"A-Akuto..."_

 _"Ma...had..."_

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" Rena shrieked, shoving Mahad away from her. "Face me, Akuma! Let me fight you!"

"You want to fight me?" Akuma asked, almost sounding flattered as the shadows blew away in a gust of wind, the stressful sounds also fading away. "Very well then, Rena..." The black-winged woman suddenly appeared before Rena, restraining her on what looked like a rack. "Let's play a game!"

 _..._

 _The Shadow Realm_

Janeiro stared in horror as the other half of her suffered at the hands of Akuma, a woman she had seen in memories. A woman who was once kind and loyal to Nefertari. An old and faithful friend.

"This isn't right..." she whispered as she watched with wide amethyst eyes. Bakura raised his eyebrow.

"Are you not enjoying this little show?" he asked her. "I'm finding it rather entertaining." Janeiro shook her head.

"This is not good..." she gasped. "They're both dangerous... They've both become... monsters..." Bakura shrugged his shoulders.

"I'll destroy the last one standing," Bakura assured. "That way I'll have to waste less energy on these pathetic female spirits."

Janeiro found the strength to stand while continuing to watch the scene before her, watching as Rena let out screams of pain and rage as Akuma proceeded to physically torment her. "I don't want to watch anymore," she muttered to herself, her eyes being burned with what she saw in front of her. As she turned her head she found herself being grabbed by Bakura, her head being forcefully turned.

"You don't have a choice," he grinned. "Let's play a game of our own, shall we, little Janeiro? Let's both take a guess at who the winner will be. Do you want to know who I think will win?" Janeiro didn't answer, merely whimpering as she forced her eyes to close. Bakura grabbed her face, prying open her eyelids with his fingers as he gave Janeiro his guess. "I think Akuma is going to win. She's going to do anything she can to break Rena, and when she finally destroys her from the inside she will dispose of her feeble spirit completely! But I must observe closely; I'll need to know where Akuma's weaknesses lie if I wish to destroy her quickly. Then I'll take over your own body to deal with the other woman."

"Why do you keep doing this?" Janeiro wept. "Why do you like hurting everyone?" Bakura scowled at her words.

"If I wanted to I could just destroy you right now," he reminded her, his grip on her face tightening. "You're at my mercy here in the Shadow Realm; I could kill you now and then watch Rena die as a result, then I could take over Ryo completely and get my revenge on Yugi Muto. So unless you want all of that to happen, I suggest you enjoy the show!"

Janeiro shuddered at Bakura's threat, hesitantly reopening her eyes as she watched the scene with a face paler than usual.

 _..._

 _Nefertari's Tomb, Egypt, Present Day_

"Janeiro!" Ryo called out, still trying to dig away at the rubble. Her lack of response was incredibly worrying.

"This is not good," Marik said quietly. Yugi was the one to step forward, helping Ryo in his attempt to remove the stones.

"Riko, I know you can hear me!" he shouted. "Whatever's going on in there, you have to fight it! You're strong!"

Kiro only laughed on the other side. "Riko isn't here!" she cackled. "She's sleeping within the sceptre that I had been sealed in for five thousand years!"

Yugi clenched his teeth together. "Whoever you are, you won't get away with hurting my friends!" he yelled.

"Keep telling yourself that, boy," Kiro mocked.

"Kiro, I know who you are!" Ryo called out to her. "I know exactly who you were and why you became like this! I know about both you and Akuma and how your lives were changed because of Apophis! You can help us defeat him!"

"Akuma's already dealing with Apophis' host," Kiro responded, her smirk practically audible. "We don't need to help anyone defeat him; once Apophis is destroyed we will make this world bow before us!" Ryo's eyes went wide.

"You can't do this!" he howled. "I won't let you hurt them!"

"There's nothing you can do to stop us!" Kiro laughed loudly. "Nothing can stand in our way!"

 _..._

A broken and twisted Rena fell to the floor after her first wave of torture, but she was keeping her mind strong. Akuma laughed at the blue-haired girl as her body convulsed from the pain.

"Does it hurt, Rena?" the blonde woman with red eyes grinned. "Can you feel everything inside you trying to heal incorrectly? Are your bones so broken that they're digging into your organs?"

Rena shakily lifted her head, a psychotic glint in her eyes as she tried to hold back any grunts of pain. Akuma grinned even more at her expression before she burst out laughing.

"Oh, you poor little princess!" she mocked. "You can barely talk, and that was only the first match! Now we're moving on to play a different game called "Snap", where I snap the rest of your bones until you scream and beg for me to stop!"

Her cheerful tone made Rena tense up even more, but she could barely move to defend herself. She could only remain at Akuma's mercy.

 _..._

 _The Shadow Realm_

Tears were streaming down Janeiro's cheeks. Her body trembled and she could swear that her own body was reacting to Rena's pain. She wanted to be sick; she was practically watching herself being tortured to death. Bakura, on the other hand, was enjoying this far too much. He now stood with his hands in his black coat's pockets, watching Rena's ordeal with a smug smirk. At some point he licked his lips with glee when Rena finally let out a scream of agony.

"I hope you're still watching, Janeiro," he spoke. "You wouldn't want to miss this part of the show!"

Janeiro was still quivering, her face whiter than Bakura's hair with how much shock coursed through her body.

 _"Janeiro!"_

She gasped quickly. That was Ryo's voice. Swiftly Janeiro jumped to her feet and turned to Bakura, seeing his smile fade immediately.

"Pay attention to them, not to me," he commanded.

"Ryo..." Janeiro whimpered. "R-Ryo's worried... I can hear him trying to reach out to me, I-I have to wake up!"

"If you wake up you'll find yourself at the mercy of the other woman," Bakura told her bluntly, his brown eyes focusing back on Rena's continued abuse. "You can wake up once all three of these lost souls have been destroyed."

"B-But..." Janeiro stuttered.

"Hush now," Bakura interrupted, turning her head so that she was once again forced to watch as Akuma physically and mentally broke Rena. "I do believe that the finale may be coming up very soon."

 _..._

 _Rena's Soul Room_

Rena coughed up blood, spluttering and choking on her own fluid as she lay limp and twisted on the floor. Her shape was far from natural. She attempted to lift her head once again, but her distorted neck stung whenever it was pressured to move.

Akuma stood beside Rena, pressing her foot into her back. "You're quite the fighter," she complimented. "Even in this state, you still refuse to break. Perhaps you will break when surrounded by your fears again; this time there's no way you can fight back without causing yourself immense agony!"

The harpie-like woman disappeared so that the images of Mahad, Akefia and Akuto could return. Seto was now also present, as was Aknamkanon. The small and dingy stone room began to flood with water very slowly - another mysterious element to Rena's psyche.

"You left me to die, Nefertari," spoke the solemn phantom of Akefia.

"I died because of you sparing that corrupt thief, Nefertari," spoke the vacant phantom of Mahad.

"You were a possessed and evil woman, Nefertari," accused the firm phantom of Seto.

"You cut your own life short, Nefertari," stated the confident phantom of Aknamkanon.

Akuto said nothing for a while as the other four shadows spoke, but he slowly stepped forwards with his eyes locked onto Rena.

"You should've killed that child," he said.

Rena couldn't take it anymore. The water rising, the pain, the echoing voices of people from the past... Everything was finally getting to her.

But she was far from losing.

"I've had it with you!" she wailed. "I've had it with you, Akuma! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU!"

Akuma appeared in the room again, floating as she stared down at Rena with a grin. "You've finally broken," she noted. "Good; you were starting to bore me with your resistance.

The wounded Rena was able to snap her head up, a grotesque crunching sound coming from her neck as she moved to stare up at Akuma. The shadows in the soul room began to melt into the water.

"It's far from over, Akuma," she hissed. "Now it's my turn to play a shadow game of my own!"

Akuma frowned as she glanced around the room. "You contain more of Nefertari than you believe you do," she pointed out. "No doubt the Nefertari in you is the one fighting for control here; she learned too many tricks from Mahad, though as you can see not all of them go as planned." She grinned while gesturing to herself as she said that. Rena, however, only shook her head. Her purple eyes became a bright green and the whites of her eyes turned black, her pupils becoming reptilian slits.

"Nefertari isn't here," she muttered before lunging at Akuma.

Everything went black.

First for Akuma, then for everyone else.

 _..._

 _?_

The sun was bright. The sand was hot.

Ryo sat up and rubbed his head, his eyes not used to the brightness. He could hear the sound of cheering echoing around him. The white-haired boy sat himself up, trying to examine his surroundings.

He was sitting in an old town, facing a large palace.

The Pharaoh's palace.

Standing on the balcony, dressed in a black dress with dark blue jewellery and a tall crown upon her head, was Rena.

This was no memory.

This was a game.

Rena raised her hand, gesturing politely for her subjects to fall quiet. "People of Egypt," she began. "Tonight is the night our rightful lord of darkness rises. Apophis, once known as one of the Forbidden Gods, will be born in his true and most powerful form! He will rule this world as he was destined to, and he will bring pain to those who have always wronged him!"

The crowd cheered once again. Rena tugged two chains which she had been holding, dragging forwards two prisoners. Human prisoners.

Akuma and Kiro.

"These two young women have already been caught rebelling against the rightful dark lord!" the false queen announced. "But these will not be the last ones to be caught before tonight's moon rises; I have many more chains waiting to connect to the souls of other rebellious fiends in this kingdom. If anyone finds who I am looking for, bring them to me! And for you little rebels... it's game on."

 _Game on._

 **~End of Chapter~**


	34. Chapter XXXIV

**~Chapter XXXIV~**

"Hey! Ryo!" came the loud whisper belonging to Tristan. He motioned for the white-haired boy to come over to him, then grabbing him by his upper arm and breaking into a sprint.

"T-Tristan, where are we going?" Ryo asked him.

"We're getting outta here," Tristan answered almost calmly. "Rena's crazy; she's sending all of those people on a witch hunt, and we're the witches!"

"Where are the others?" Ryo questioned, glancing around.

"I'm not sure," Tristan admitted. "We're gonna find them while keeping ourselves hidden, then we're gonna go after Rena before the sun sets."

"What if the sun is setting and we don't find anyone?" Ryo pressed. Tristan took a few seconds before he gave his answer.

"We'll have to go after her alone," he said. "Otherwise we could all be toast!"

 _..._

"Hello?" called Yugi as he walked through the crowd. "Joey? Tristan? Marik? Is anyone here? Tea? Ryo? Janeiro?" People were already beginning to give him accusing glares, but he didn't know why. He wasn't voicing his opinion on Apophis, so he thought he would be safe.

"Come on, someone must be here..." he sighed. But someone already grabbed him.

"This foreign boy must be one of the rebels!" yelled the angry civilian who was holding him.

"H-Hey!" Yugi gasped fearfully, yanking his arm away. He swiftly moved out of the way as another man attempted to grab him, deciding that right now it was best to run. People began to chase him through the streets, so he knew he had to figure out a way to lose them.

 _..._

"Yugi!" Tea cried out as she ran. "Where are you, Yugi?!" She came to a sudden halt when she ran straight into someone, falling to the ground.

"Ey, watch where you're goin'!" exclaimed Joey, turning around and shaking his fist in frustration. His look of anger went away the moment he saw that it was Tea who had bumped into him. "Yo, Tea?! What the heck are you doin' here?!"

Tea stood up and dusted herself off. "I'm not sure," she replied. "Where are we, anyway? Are we in Ancient Egypt?"

"Sure seems like a messed up Ancient Egypt, if you ask me," Joey mumbled, glancing around. "C'mon; we need to find Yug and the others."

"Right!" Tea agreed, choosing to run through the city's streets with Joey at her side.

 _..._

"Odion!" Marik yelled with worry as he ran further into the city, looking around with worry and fear. "Ishizu! Can anybody hear me?!"

"Hey!" came Sakura's voice as she ran over to Marik. "Thank goodness; I thought no one else was here..."

"Sakura," Marik recalled. "Have you seen anyone else? Anyone at all?"

"No," Sakura sighed sadly. "You're the first person I've found."

"We can't be the only ones here," Marik stated. "But I am worried about just how many people have ended up here; did Rena engulf the entire world with her powers?"

"I don't know," Sakura responded. "There's only one way to find out; we've gotta get to her somehow."

"She'll kill us," Marik warned. Sakura shook her head.

"She has that demon who took over my body on a leash," she pointed out. "Same for the other demon who took over Kiro. She has chains attached to both their souls. I bet she wants all of us on one of her chains before nightfall."

"No way am I letting my soul fall into the hands of an evil spirit again," Marik growled.

"We're going to stop her," Sakura confirmed. "But first, we need to try looking for the others; I hope Riko's okay..." Marik practically shuddered at the name; that girl was way too forward with her thoughts and feelings. But he understood Sakura's worry; he felt the same about Odion and Ishizu, if they were here, and also felt the same about Yugi and the others.

 _..._

Riko walked with her hands in her leather jacket's pockets, with Ishizu walking at her side. "This is the weirdest illusion I've ever experienced," the teen confirmed.

"It is worrying," Ishizu corrected. "This illusion must have been created by Apophis himself, since he resides within the spirit acting as the queen." Riko shrugged her shoulders, not even frightened in the slightest way.

"I don't really care if we're in an illusion or not," she admitted. "All that matters to me is finding the others and getting outta here, and I bet we need to beat that Rena gal if we wanna get out alive."

"We have to reach her on time," Ishizu reminded. "Otherwise I fear that her words are true: Apophis will rise when night falls."

"Then let's hurry and find the others," Riko concluded. "We can't be the only ones here."

"Rena may have gathered many souls," Ishizu thought out loud. "I wonder if some come from the past..."

"I doubt it," Riko shut down. "I think any Egyptian guys we see are just her shadows - her mind slaves. The only real people here are the ones who come from the modern era."

Ishizu thought about Akuma and Kiro. "You might be wrong," she told the black-haired girl. Riko huffed.

"So confident," she grumbled.

 _..._

Janeiro walked alone down a quiet street, peering around any corners before turning to walk down them. She had already been chased and was rather tired.

She could hear voices coming from the mob of men which had previously chased her. Taking in a sharp gasp, Janeiro looked for a place to hide. Most buildings on this street were houses, but one was a tavern. Quickly she ran inside, slamming the door behind her and panting to catch her breath. Once having recovered her energy she lifted her head to look around, seeing that tough-looking men were giving her strange looks. The atmosphere was silent.

Hesitantly Janeiro approached the bar. "Um... H-How much is it for some water...?" she asked softly. The bartender immediately grabbed her by her long light-blue hair, pulling on it harshly so that her face was closer to his. His glare was one of intimidation and disgust.

"We don't welcome your kind in this place," he snarled. Janeiro trembled with fear.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't know..." she whimpered.

"Well, now ya do," the bartender shot back, raising a knife to her throat. "Get outta my tavern or I'll cut you into pieces, you witch."

"Now, we shouldn't waste a pretty little thing like her," spoke a man sitting by a table, a wide grin on his face as he stood on his feet. "It's not often we see pretty faces in here."

Other men rose up to their full height, chuckling lowly as they took out their knives and machetes. Janeiro backed away as they approached her, putting up her arms to protect herself. "No, wait, I-I didn't mean to..." she stuttered shakily, her sentence being cut off by a man who pinned her against the wall. The young girl yelped, flinching fearfully; she had no idea that someone else walked into the tavern, but quite a few people turned to face the new individual when he threw some knives into the back of the man holding Janeiro against the wall. His black hair was tied back in a ponytail and a dark bandana covered the lower part of his scarred face, leaving his magenta eyes to blankly stare at the other men.

As the man collapsed from the pain of the knives sticking into his back, the other men turned and pointed their weapons at the newcomer. The man lowered his bandana, and immediately Janeiro recognized him despite him having aged a few years.

"Akuto..." rasped the bartender. "I told you that I'd kill ya if you came in here again!"

"I thought I saw an old friend come in here," Akuto replied calmly, turning his head to look at the trembling Janeiro. "I suppose I made a mistake, but now that I'm here I may as well cause a little trouble; I'm not into watching women being hurt anymore."

The bartender glowered. "Kill him!" he yelled. The other men were no longer focused on Janeiro, instead charging towards Akuto. Akuto swiftly hopped up onto a table and slung a handful of knives once again, each one hitting a man in the head. Almost instantly many of the men were dead, and it only took a quick close-up fight until everyone else had fallen, including the bartender.

Janeiro was cowering in the corner, holding her knees close to her chest. Akuto picked up his knives before walking over to her as if nothing happened, offering his hand down to help her up.

"You're definitely new around here," he acknowledged. "Everyone else knows that only the scum of Egypt gather in this tavern."

With hesitation Janeiro took his hand and was helped to her feet, having to look up at Akuto since he was much taller than her. Akuto turned around and began stepping over the bodies left on the floor. "Come on," he instructed. "We can't stay here for much longer or else the guards will arrest us. I'll take you somewhere a little safer."

Janeiro waded through the bodies as if she was neck-deep in a sea full of them, skipping out and after Akuto quickly. She had absolutely no idea what to say to him. This was a man who lived about five thousand years ago, and now she was interacting with him.

"What era do you come from?" Akuto asked suddenly, catching Janeiro by surprise. He continued to speak when it took her too long to answer. "I'm aware that I've been dead for thousands of years, but some of these people seem like shadows of the past. And that queen definitely never ruled. I'm guessing that she's dragged a bunch of souls into a false world, including souls from the afterlife such as myself. You must be from a more recent time period; your stupid clothes are a dead giveaway."

Almost out of insecurity, Janeiro looked at her own clothes. Akuto didn't even need to look at her since he knew she would react in such away, instead chuckling softly to himself. "You're not very talkative," he noticed. "Or do you not speak my language?"

"N-No, I understand you perfectly..." Janeiro admitted, speaking up. "I just... well... Y-You're Akuto..."

Akuto raised a brow as he strolled through the quieter streets. "You've heard about me, hm?" he responded. "Am I a legend in your time or something?"

"N-No, sorry..." Janeiro apologized. "I um... You won't believe me if I told you..."

"We're walking through a false Egypt ruled by some insane queen trying to revive a spirit I thought died long ago," Akuto told her. "I'm willing to believe anything at this point."

Janeiro let out a soft sigh, glancing down at her feet as she walked behind him. "I... witnessed some memories," she revealed. "Memories which belonged to my ancestor... A-A friend and I were trying to uncover the truth about the false queen on the throne, since she was an evil spirit controlling me and causing trouble... We saw some events in the village of El-Isfet and... well... how everything bad happened..."

"El-Isfet..." Akuto mused with nostalgia. "That name takes me back. Let me guess: your ancestor was Nefertari?" Janeiro gasped, astonished.

"How did you know?" she asked him. Akuto shrugged his shoulders.

"I mistook you for her when you entered that tavern," he answered. "I was hoping to find someone else I knew who wasn't a mindless shadow, but instead I found a stranger from a completely different time."

As if guilty, Janeiro's head hung. "I'm sorry..." she replied.

"Don't apologize," Akuto countered. "Your pale skin and weird clothes should've been enough for me to come to the conclusion that you weren't who I thought you were, but I had to check just to be on the safe side. Also it's not often that I see girls enter that tavern; during my life I used to go there with my crew, but when I became a lone wanderer I caused a little trouble after drinking a little too much wine."

"Lone wanderer?" Janeiro questioned.

"Yeah," Akuto replied.

Janeiro entered a brief state of deep thought. The last thing she saw Akuto do was leave El-Isfet for good, and when discussing with Ryo about those who could host Apophis' spirit she mentioned that Akuto was a possibility due to his background and suspicious nature.

"What, is something on your mind?" Akuto asked as he stopped in front of a derelict inn, entering with Janeiro. Janeiro snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head.

"N-Nothing!" she responded.

"You're panicking," Akuto pointed out, opening a broken cupboard and taking out a canteen of wine, immediately taking a swig of the substance. "I can tell you're thinking of something." Janeiro rubbed her arm nervously, staring at the floor.

"Out of everyone I saw in those memories, you were the one who made me the most suspicious," she confessed. Akuto just stared at her before choosing to take a seat on one of the creaky chairs.

"What exactly did you see of me?" he queried. "I know I didn't do much in El-Isfet, but some of the events are a bit of a blur."

"You and your bandits attacked the village," Janeiro reminded him. "You were going to kill everyone and take Nefertari away. A girl named Safira saved you and took care of you until you were found and sent to the dungeons."

"Heh, Safira..." Akuto muttered with a very small smile on his face. "Man... She was a great gal. I should've been a little nicer to her." His face became solemn for a moment before he took another swig of his wine. "What else did you see? I didn't just stay in the dungeons for the rest of my life, y'know."

"Yes, you were released during the Desert Children attack," Janeiro continued. "You were promised freedom if you helped in the battle because you were the one who knew the most about the group, but after the battle... you fled."

"Yup," Akuto nodded. "That place wasn't my home. Those people killed the guys who were like a family to me, even if they treated me like some sorta mule." The man shrugged his shoulders. "They were all I had. Even if I didn't like 'em for looking at me like I was a piece of dirt, I knew no better. I never had a family and grew up in the streets of some other village, but those bandits burned it down and killed everyone but me. They took me with 'em, and so I became one of them." He seemed to think for a moment before laughing quietly to himself. "That's twice I've been involved in a slaughter where I'm the only survivor."

Janeiro would have laughed with him, but she was too focused on her own thoughts. Akuto was by no means as evil as she thought he was; he had obviously changed over the years until his death, and his experience in El-Isfet must have softened him. He had a soft spot for Safira, and ever since those days he didn't return to his greedy bandit lifestyle - then again, he didn't seem to be greedy in the first place; he had no choice but to go along with what those other bandits told him to do.

But Janeiro remembered Rena's soul room. While she was being forced to watch Rena's torment, she remembered that Rena saw Akuto in her visions. That had to mean something; why would Rena see him if he wasn't linked to a frightening or traumatic experience?

"H-Hey, Akuto...?" the girl hesitated, catching his attention. "That lady who is pretending to be the queen... She's the evil spirit who used to control me. I think a part of Apophis is in her, along with a part of Nefertari..."

Akuto actually seemed surprised. "So that's Nefertari?" he asked. "I saw her a few times in the afterlife, and she did not seem as twisted as that..."

"That's because she _is_ Nefertari, but at the same time she's not," Janeiro explained. "She's like... a hateful portion of her soul."

"Huh," Akuto reacted, nodding his head as he gulped away at his wine again, swallowing forcefully. "So, what does that mean?"

Janeiro shook her head. "She's a separate person to Nefertari, just like how she is also now separate from me," she explained. "But that's not why I mentioned that to you... Y-You see, I witnessed her watching her fears manifest before her eyes... and... well... you were there."

"I was there?" Akuto queried, his eyebrows raising together. "Wow."

"Do you know why she might fear you?" Janeiro asked him. "Or... why she associates you with something frightening for her?"

Akuto tapped his chin and sipped his wine again as he thought, humming thoughtfully to himself before he seemed to tense up. "...Ah," he reacted to the realisation. "If she's got a bit of Nefertari in her, I think I know why she associates me with something... bad."

Janeiro perked up curiously. "You do?" she asked.

"Yeah," Akuto answered, slumping back in his chair and taking a longer gulp of wine, then letting out a heavy sigh. His eyes glazed over as he practically witnessed the events in front of him. "I was wandering for months by myself. Instead of raiding villages, I would find ghost towns and steal anything which had been left behind. One day I came across a particularly ruined village and chose to take a look around, but... I heard something.

"I heard crying..."

 _..._

 _A Lost Village, about 5,000 years ago..._

Akuto rode into the town on the back of his horse before coming to a halt, gazing at all of the derelict buildings. The sound of the wind was eerie and it was the only sound he could hear. So he hopped off his horse and chose to look around, seeing that nobody else was in this village.

But as he walked further into the village, Akuto's ears picked up a different sound. At first it sounded like an animal, so he took out his two daggers in case it was something dangerous. He was still and silent, but his mind finally processed what the sound actually was.

He could hear something crying. It was a young human cry for sure - a baby. And with it he could hear someone, a woman, trying to hush the child. She herself sounded rather upset and tearful as her humming had a wavering effect to it.

Curiously, Akuto followed the sound, tracing the source to a large home. He entered the building and slowly made his way up the stairs, admiring how the house seemed to have been somewhat restored on the inside. The former bandit pushed open a wooden door, spotting a familiar blue-haired woman sitting in the corner as she rocked something small in her arms.

The woman gasped and turned her head sharply, her eyes full of pure horror as they widened at the sight of Akuto. She was frozen for a moment, tears staining her cheeks, until slowly she seemed to relax ever so slightly.

"A-Akuto...?" she reacted, her voice cracking. Akuto stared at her before walking further into the room, watching as she protected what she was holding.

"So it's true," he said quietly. "You never returned to your village, Nefertari."

Nefertari continued to rock the small being in her arms, tears continuing to drip from her eyes. "I couldn't," she sobbed. "I'm a criminal now..."

Akuto had indeed heard many people in the Capital speaking of Nefertari, even listening to the guards talking about how they would capture and kill her if she was spotted within the city walls. But right now she did not look like someone who needed to know about those comments, even though she was fully aware of how people may have been talking about her.

The scar-faced man stepped even closer and looked at what she was holding. His eyes went slightly wide when he saw what it was.

In her arms was a tiny baby with fluffy white hair. It was wrapped up in a beige shenti meant for an adult man, but right now it was being used as a blanket to keep the infant warm.

"Boy or girl?" Akuto asked casually, trying to ease the tension.

"...Boy," Nefertari answered after a pause. Akuto nodded his head thoughtfully.

"When was he...?" he questioned.

"Last night," Nefertari interrupted almost uncomfortably. "I've been awake ever since. I can't sleep; I'm too afraid of something bad happening..."

Akuto stared at the whimpering child. One would not expect a baby to have such a full head of hair at birth, but Akuto knew exactly who the father was - his father definitely had... interesting hair.

Nefertari started to cry weakly, still in shock from last night and also in pain, not to mention that her emotions had been all over the place for months. She was a wanted criminal with a vulnerable child; if anyone in the Capital found out she had a son then they would kill him.

As Nefertari cradled her son, voices could be heard outside. Akuto made his way over to the window and saw that a few of the Pharaoh's guards and priests could be seen, along with some apprentices. His horse must have given away the fact that this village wasn't entirely abandoned.

Nefertari instantly looked terrified when hearing the voices, her eyes staring up at Akuto as she trembled. "Akuto..." she whimpered. "Please, Akuto... I need your help..." Akuto stared down at her, deciding to kneel at her side as she continued to sob weakly. "Take... him... Take him, please...!"

Akuto stared at the baby as it started to cry louder once again. He gave Nefertari a soft stare, actually feeling worried and upset for her deep down.

"Come with me," he said to her. "We can look for his father." Nefertari shook her head as she wept.

"No..." she croaked. "His father... would kill him... H-He can't love anything, he needs to feel hatred... H-He'll only grow weak..."

"Who cares if he grows weak?" Akuto shot back. "If he's got a kid, he shouldn't be focusing on power. He's a greedy, self-centered fool if he would honestly kill his own family to grow stronger."

"Akuto!" Nefertari cried suddenly. "Be quiet and listen to me! Akefia must not know that he has a son! Please, Akuto! Take him and leave before it's too late!"

Akuto stared at the crying infant, slowly reaching down for it to take it from Nefertari's arms. Before he could, however, someone ran into the room and froze.

Mahad.

Nefertari stared in horror, and even Akuto showed some concern. He resorted to whipping out his two daggers, and in response Mahad grasped the hilt of his sword. But his eyes were on Nefertari and the white-haired child.

Akuto ran towards Mahad, but the spellcaster's eyes glowed pink for a moment as he raised his hand. The former bandit froze in place and was launched into the wall, collapsing onto his front.

Terrified, Nefertari held onto her son as he cried and clung to her. Mahad stared at her with a vacant expression, as if he had no idea how to react to the situation.

"...Mahad..." Nefertari whimpered. The priest apprentice walked towards her and took the child from her arms swiftly, giving her no time to react. The former queen of El-Isfet wailed in distress. "Mahad, don't...! Please! Take me as your prisoner, but spare him! Please, Mahad! H-He's just a child, he's done no wrong...!"

Mahad stared down at the infant as it squirmed and screamed in his arms. His empty gaze went to one of thoughtfulness, then finally one of sadness. He knew what the others would do if they found it. And there was one thing he knew about this child merely by sensing his energy: he carried a great evil within him.

Nefertari knew what Mahad could sense, as she could sense it, too. Apophis. Apophis had made her life hell, but he never had full control of her. Why?

Because this infant _was_ Apophis.

The soul of the Forbidden God was absorbed by her child as it began to form within her all those months ago, so instead of possessing her it instead possessed this boy. This boy was the vessel from the very beginning.

This was no innocent and harmless child. Mahad knew that. Mahad knew that, in time, he could become someone dangerous. He could be the one to destroy this world. It would be better to kill him now before he grew too powerful.

...But he couldn't. Even if he wanted to, Mahad couldn't do it. And he couldn't let someone else do it. This was the child of someone he grew up beside - someone he was close to. That's why he chose not to harm the boy. Instead he turned and walked towards Akuto, who was now recovering from the previous attack.

"Here," he said softly. "Take the boy and leave."

Akuto stared at Mahad, somewhat wary as he slowly took the crying infant from his arms. He stared down at the baby, not knowing what to do for a moment before looking at Nefertari. The woman was still bawling heavily, but while sobbing she was able to force a shaky smile.

"Protect him..." she commanded tearfully. "Protect... Ramses..."

Akuto nodded his head, glancing at the mildly-glaring Mahad before sprinting out of the building with the child in his arms. The boy was still wrapped in the beige shenti - the shenti once worn to comfort Nefertari as it once belonged to her beloved thief. He was able to reach his horse and leave undisturbed, most likely due to Mahad casting a minor spell to leave him and the baby unnoticed.

It was fairly obvious what happened after leaving. Nefertari was arrested by Mahad and taken to be trialed, and it wasn't long before Akuto heard the news that the Queen of Outcasts had died. He knew that the cover-up story was a lie, but he did nothing to try correcting it. She was dead, and nothing could change that. Revenge would not bring her back. Justice would not bring her back.

All he could do was raise the child in the Capital, even protecting him during the violent attack led by the boy's own father. Not once did Akuto ever encounter Akefia ever again, and it wasn't long before he heard of his death and the death of the recently-crowned Pharaoh Atem, along with the deaths of some of the priests, including Mahad. Seto was the one to succeed Atem, but it was only a couple of years later that Akuto himself died after getting into a fight with some rough men. He had failed to do what Nefertari had requested as a final wish:

He failed to protect Ramses.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	35. Chapter XXXV

**~Chapter XXXV~**

 _Rena's Game, Past, Present and Future_

Janeiro did not know what to say after Akuto told her the story. Ramses... Ramses was the son of Akefia and Nefertari. Not only that, but the reason Nefertari had no effects on her mind from Apophis' possession was because Apophis was not possessing her directly. Instead he had entered the growing life form in her body which was then birthed into the world.

Nefertari did indeed succeed in bringing Apophis into the world, but Ramses did not seem to be an evil individual. He just seemed... different.

What happened to him?

"Well, there ya go," Akuto said. "So, still think I'm some psychopath who had evil intentions?"

"...I..." Janeiro hesitated. "...I... I had no idea..."

"What, you didn't think Nefertari had a kid?" Akuto cut in. "I saw it coming."

"No," Janeiro replied. "I mean... Ramses... and Apophis... I thought they weren't the same person..."

"Who knows?" Akuto responded. "After I died I had no idea what was going on with that kid. Did you see him in a memory, too?"

"A little bit," Janeiro admitted. "The memories had been tampered with. Apophis did not want anyone to see what actually happened to him..."

Akuto shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno," he sighed. "Apophis jumps from person to person; I just wanna be done with him already."

"Did you ever see Ramses when you were in the afterlife?" Janeiro queried.

"Nah," Akuto answered, taking another swig of his wine. "Didn't see Akefia, either. That poor queen was waiting for him for centuries, and he never came."

A sad look appeared on Janeiro's face. Nefertari, even in death, had been separated from her son and her true lover. Why were they both gone? Akefia was in the Millennium Ring after his soul merged with Zorc's, but where did Ramses go?

 _..._

Ryo and Tristan now walked with cloaks on, their hoods up so that nobody could identify them without really getting up close and personal.

"We should look for somewhere safe," Tristan said to Ryo. "There must be somewhere quiet around here; no doubt the others would be looking for the same kinda spot."

"Well, they cannot flee the city without being questioned," Ryo responded, "so they must be around here somewhere."

"I just hope nobody's been captured," Tristan thought out loud. "Though I guess Joey would make enough of a scene for us to notice him if someone did try taking him to that palace."

"Psst," came a voice, causing the pair to stop suddenly. "Over here." The two of them turned to look, with Tristan clenching his fists defensively. Ryo, however, seemed curious and suddenly quite surprised.

"Hey. Come this way," said the hooded figure, who had two brown eyes of slightly different shades due to one being blind.

"I know you," Ryo gasped, stepping a little closer. "You're Kubui."

"Ah, Anku said someone might recognize me," Kubui mumbled before shaking his head. "We're gathering at an inn owned by my friend, Haku. Anku is doing his best to use his magic to locate everyone, but unfortunately that queen seems to have put restraints on his powers."

"Wait, who are you?" Tristan asked, confused. "Ryo, do you know him?"

"I'll explain later," Ryo whispered. "But I know we can trust him. Let's go."

Ryo was confident as he followed Kubui, giving Tristan no choice but to follow, as well. If Anku was looking for as many as he could then that meant Yugi, Janeiro and the rest could also be found, although if his powers were restrained then no doubt Rena had rendered most souls weaker than usual, but not weak enough to make this game easy for her.

 _..._

Ishizu came to a sudden halt, causing Riko to stop as well. The half-Egyptian girl looked confused, turning to face the former tomb-keeper.

"What's up with you?" she asked her.

"Someone is watching us," Ishizu responded, glancing around warily but with a calm expression. Riko immediately put up her fists and looked ready for a fight, becoming even more tense when the individual stepped out.

"Sorry if I startled you," said a pale-faced man. "The name's Kekku; a friend of mine told me to search for our potential allies, and you two were seen as friendly."

Kekku. The name rang a bell for Ishizu. She had definitely heard the name recently.

"How can we trust you?" Riko growled. "You could be paws of the queen! Loads of 'em are after us!"

"We're not with her," Kekku assured. "All of this... my buddy said it was some twisted illusion. A barrier between your world and our afterlife. This Queen Rena... She's going to cause both worlds to collapse if we don't defeat her soon."

"We can trust him," Ishizu decided. "I've heard of this man; he lived in Ancient Egypt. I believe his words are genuine."

Riko looked uncertain but then shrugged her shoulders. "Hope you're right," she responded. "But if you're wrong, I'm gonna kick you."

"Please, don't," Ishizu sighed, holding back any signs of irritation.

 _..._

Haku opened the door to the inn, with Joey and Tea following him. "Found these guys," he announced as he entered. Ryo, Tristan, Riko and Ishizu stood up to greet them with relief.

"Ey! Tristan!" Joey grinned, running over to him and wrapping his arm around him. "Boy, I missed ya!"

Tristan laughed awkwardly. "Haha, sure thing, Joey, I bet you were worried sick!" he replied with a small hint of sarcasm.

"There's still no sign of Yugi," Tea sighed sadly, sounding concerned and thoughtful.

"And Janeiro," Ryo added. "Unless she's trapped in the body of the one sitting upon the throne..."

"My brother is also missing," Ishizu noted.

"And Sakura," Riko extended. "But I'm also concerned for your brother, Ishizu." Ishizu did her best not to frown at Riko's comment; she saw what she was really trying to say.

"Don't worry, everyone, we'll find the others," Haku assured. "Then together we can figure out what's going on, and we can defeat that evil queen before she summons Apophis."

"I still have no idea what's goin' on," Joey admitted. "Where the heck are we? And who are you guys?"

"We lived thousands of years ago," Haku explained, turning to Ryo. "Anku told me that you already know about us." Ryo perked up a little but almost looked nervous.

"Um... Why, yes," he replied. "A friend and I witnessed some important memories involving our ancestors."

"Ancestors?" Haku repeteated before nodding his head. "Anku and Tauren both said who you used to be. Your friend was our queen, Nefertari, and you... you were the thief who stayed with her for a few days."

"Yes," Ryo answered almost sadly.

"You look quite similar to him," Haku acknowledged, "but by the gods, he had no manners. You seem like a kind-hearted young man."

Ryo was flattered by the compliment. "Thank you," he thanked with a brief smile before returning to a more serious state. "Did you ever see the queen in the afterlife? Or the thief king?"

"Nefertari was there, yes," Haku told him. "But she waited. Oh, how she waited... It broke all of our hearts. She could never be happy. Akefia never returned to her. His soul... it never moved on. It changed, too..."

"His soul never entered the afterlife?" Ryo responded. "How... How tragic..." Bakura was a shadow of Akefia, but what if he was all that remained of him now after Zorc merged with him?

"Indeed," Haku agreed. "Mahad never entered the afterlife, either. Not for a while, at least; I believe his spirit only moved on with the spirit of Pharaoh Atem a few months ago. Even Tauren and Anku took some time to reunite with us. And Akuma and Kiro had their souls trapped, as well."

"She must have been truly lonely," Ryo said. "No wonder her hatred lived on..."

Haku didn't focus on Ryo's comment, turning to face Joey again. "We lived thousands of years ago," he repeated, "under the reign of a queen who refused to obey the ways of the rest of Egypt."

"She sure sounds like someone who was a piece o' work," Joey mumbled.

"Not when you got to know her," Kubui chimed in. "She was like a goddess, but she was punished for her ways of thinking."

"Yeah; she didn't treat us foreigners like scum," Kekku added. "I couldn't go to the marketplace in the Capital without having rocks thrown at me."

"So, because some queen ruled you guys, you expect us to trust ya?" Joey re-worded.

"I expect you to trust us because there's no one else here _to_ trust," Haku corrected. "And we all want the same thing."

"He's right, Joey," Ryo spoke up. "We all want to defeat Apophis once and for all. Rena must be stopped."

"Shouldn't we find Yugi first?" Tea queried.

"Don't worry; we'll find your friends," Haku assured her. "And we'll find a few of our own, too."

Anku stepped into the room, his hands together as always but a concerned expression on his face.

"Ah! Anku," Haku greeted. "Have you sensed the presence of more true souls?"

"I have indeed," Anku nodded. "But there are some strong and powerful presences, as well. I am worried; they could be allies of Rena, for I can sense great evil coming from them."

"Evil presences?" Haku repeated. "We must avoid trouble at all costs; the false queen is our top priority. If any of these evil forces attempt to stand in our way, then we must do everything we can to move on quickly."

"Understood," Anku nodded. "I will go and find the remaining souls; I promise, I will return hastily."

As Anku left, Ryo couldn't help but grow worried.

He knew that one of those evil presences was Bakura.

 _..._

Bakura walked towards Rena, who still sat upon her throne. He could manipulate this reality to make sure he went unnoticed by Rena's shadows, but Rena knew all along that he was coming.

"Well, well; if it isn't the dark prince," she addressed without even turning to look back at him. "Come a little closer; I have a chain with your name on it."

"You're going to have a hard time containing me," Bakura told her simply. "Besides, you know very well that I have no intentions of surrendering to the likes of you."

"Then why did you approach me?" Rena asked him. "To kill me? To join forces?"

"I came to ask you of your motives," Bakura answered. "Do you truly want to destroy the world and rule over it or is there something else on your mind?"

Rena merely cackled. "You think I've got a soft side, don't you?" she asked him.

"You feel fear," Bakura pointed out. Rena scowled a little.

"I don't," she corrected. "It is Nefertari who feels fear, and unfortunately a piece of her is within me."

"A piece of the red-cloaked thief created me," Bakura reminded her. "I have none of his fears, and I know full well that he was a man who could be frightened."

"My motives have no deeper meaning to them," Rena cut in. "It is my duty to bring Apophis into this world. Once he is unleashed, I will shatter the barrier between life and death, and then there will be no difference between the living and the dead. Existence will be nothing but chaos."

"You're not Apophis," Bakura revealed. "You're just a puppet. A hideous puppet, I should say. When you unleash him, you will still exist. But you will be weak. You will be afraid. You will be no different to little Janeiro - your host. You will be living in your own nightmare, and it will all be your fault."

"This world deserves it!" Rena snapped suddenly, standing up and turning around to face the evil spirit. "The world is rotten, Bakura; I want to see a world where everyone is suffering so that Apophis can laugh at them!" Bakura, in response, laughed at her comment.

"There is uncertainty in your tone," he pointed out. "You don't even know what you want. You have no identity anymore, Rena. You could be Janeiro. You could be Nefertari. You could be Apophis. You could be a rogue part of my own soul. You have no idea, do you? You're a lost cause, Rena; that is your weakness."

"Shut your vile mouth!" Rena yelled throwing her chain like a whip. Bakura caught it in his grasp. Nothing happened.

The young man smirked at her. "You're powerless against me," he said, "because I am the true Zorc Necrophades. That is my identity, Rena; I never was Ryo Bakura or Akefia. They were both hosts with souls I enjoyed latching onto, but you are not truly Apophis. No... I can sense something else within you causing you to be afraid. Is there someone else? Perhaps Apophis has a soul he has latched onto, and that soul is yet to reveal itself."

"I told you to shut your mouth!" Rena repeated, a dark aura suddenly surrounding her as she pointed her finger at him. What looked like a beam of dark energy shot from her fingertip and through Bakura's shoulder, actually managing to wound him. "This is my world, Zorc. I control everything here. Me. Rena." The chain, which Bakura was still grasping, glowed with the same darkness and began merging into his hand. The white-haired male narrowed his eyes, using his other hand to grasp the chain as well, only to have both hands now stuck to the metal.

Rena grinned with insanity evident in her expression. "You want to know who I am, Zorc?" she continued. "I am Rena. The remnants of your soul which stained Janeiro Brazil. But I could not exist as mere fragments; I had to absorb the souls of others to live. I absorbed a part of Janeiro's soul. I absorbed a part of Nefertari's soul. I even absorbed a part of Akefia's soul from your own. That's how I came to be, dark prince; I fed on the souls of others until I could exist. I am not Apophis; Apophis is just residing within me, waiting to be released. And I can assure you; he has a bone to pick with you."

Bakura suddenly tugged on the chain with all of his might, pulling Rena towards him and bringing his knee up at the last second to knee her in the gut and wind her. Rena lost focus on her energy for a moment, allowing Bakura to free his hands and grab Rena by her hair, forcing her to face him.

"Apophis will not defeat me," he told her. "I will find his weakness. I won't kill you now because I want to face Apophis myself and prove to him that I will always be the stronger force of evil. So get on with it and summon him tonight; I promise you, I won't miss the show." With that, Bakura threw Rena across the floor until she hit her throne. Rena took a few seconds to recover from her assault, but when she opened her eyes, Bakura was gone.

 _..._

Sakura and Marik were both closer to the palace and had both been undisturbed by the shadows. Sakura was worried; she hadn't seen anyone she knew. She and Marik couldn't possibly be the only two in this world...

Then, before them, they saw a head of familiar spiky hair. "Yugi!" Sakura gasped. "Marik, look! I found Yugi!" Marik looked ahead and immediately saw who Sakura was looking at; that hair could belong to no one else.

"That's him!" he agreed. "Come on; let's go to him!" The light-haired man sprinted, followed by Sakura.

"Yugi!" Sakura called. The boy turned around upon hearing the name, but Sakura and Marik came to a halt. Marik was the one who seemed the most surprised.

"Pharaoh..." he reacted before dropping to his knees.

They had found Atem.

 _..._

There was a knock at the door to the derelict building where Akuto and Janeiro were staying. Janeiro gasped and looked terrified while Akuto remained calm yet defensive. He slowly made his way over to the door, ready to pull out his knives if necessary as he swiftly swung it open. The former bandit pulled out his two daggers but did not move upon seeing who he was facing.

"That's not how you greet your allies, Akuto," said Tauren, who seemed far more mature compared to how he was in the memories. He still wore his slave collar, but he wore elegant purple robes and held his precious wand. The shy gaze in his eyes had also vanished; he looked younger than his elderly form which appeared to Janeiro in the desert, but he definitely seemed somewhat older.

"My apologies, Tauren," Akuto apologized, slipping his daggers away. "I thought you were one of those shadow figures."

"Nobody can create a shadow of me," Tauren chuckled. "And it seems that we are not the only ones who are real." Beside him was Odion, who he had found at some point while searching for people, and to the other side of him was Yugi.

Janeiro stood up upon seeing the three. "Yugi!" she reacted. "And Odion!"

"Hey, Janeiro!" Yugi waved, a bright smile on his face. "I knew there had to be more of us here; if you're here then I bet the others are around, too!"

"They are," Tauren told him. "Anku contacted me; your friends are gathered at Haku's inn."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Akuto grunted. "Let's meet up with 'em and see how many we've got to go after that wench on the throne."

Tauren chuckled at his boldness. "You never will change, will you, Akuto?" he asked.

"Nah, I won't," Akuto told him bluntly. "Let's go; the quicker we defeat that queen, the quicker I can return to a peaceful eternal life."

 _..._

Tauren and the others were quick to reach Haku's inn, with Haku greeting them all rather happily and giving Tauren a welcoming peck on the cheek.

"Ryo!" Janeiro exclaimed happily upon seeing her friend, running over to him and giving him a large hug. Ryo laughed happily and hugged back.

"Janeiro! Thank goodness, you're alright!" he replied to her. "I was afraid you were trapped within Rena's body..."

"I thought I was alone here," Janeiro admitted. "Then Akuto found me."

"Akuto?" Ryo questioned, seeing the tough-looking man. He seemed wary of him, though Janeiro was quick to put him at ease.

"He told me something important," Janeiro said, but she was cut off when Anku entered with Sakura and Marik following him.

"You'll never believe who has come to assist us," Anku spoke before he, Sakura and Marik moved to make way for the fourth man following them: Atem.

"The Pharaoh!" Ryo gasped.

"Atem!" Tea reacted. Others reacted in a similar way, freezing at the sight. Only Ishizu and Odion kneeled before him.

Yugi was the one feeling the most shock. Atem's purple eyes were soon on him and the young pharaoh smiled softly, giving him a nod while holding up his thumb. Yugi stared for a moment longer before suddenly running over to him and giving him a great hug.

"I missed you, Pharaoh," he admitted, close to weeping as tears formed in his eyes. Atem looked down at him before patting him on the back.

"I missed you too, partner," he responded. "But I can tell, you have grown in strength." Yugi looked up at him with a tearful smile.

"Well, I'd say we have a good chance at defeating that queen," Akuto pointed out. "This is pretty much an unbeatable team."

"There are others," Anku announced while sitting by his pyre, though a worried look was on his face again, "but I am concerned for the evil I can sense."

Atem stepped forwards. "We must defeat the queen," he stated. "But what is this evil you speak of, Anku?" While in life Atem and Anku did not know each other well, they got to know each other a little more during their time in the afterlife.

"One seems to be dormant," Anku explained. "But the other..."

There was suddenly a crashing sound outside, along with a menacing laughter. This couldn't be Apophis; he had not yet been summoned. Atem was the first to run outside, followed by the others. A frown was upon his face as he watched a familiar white monster wreck anything in its path while following its master: a thief in a red cloak.

Janeiro covered her mouth in horror as Ryo stared. This wasn't Bakura. This was someone whose soul had been corrupted after spending years trapped with an evil entity within the Millennium Ring.

Akefia.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	36. Chapter XXXVI

**~Chapter XXXVI~**

"Is that who I think it is?" asked Haku as he watched Akefia riding on horseback as his Diabound followed him.

"The Thief King," Atem scowled. "He's caused me enough trouble." The young pharaoh turned to face the others. "We must defeat him before nightfall; he could be just as dangerous as that queen if we do not stop him."

"Rena must have summoned him knowing that he would hinder us," Janeiro guessed. "And I bet he won't leave us alone if we ignore him..."

"Everyone; this is a realm consisting of magic," Atem told them. "If you believe strong enough then you can summon a DiaDhank for your own use. Use it to summon your Ka!"

"Ka?" Joey repeated, sounding confused.

"Your Ka will come to you if you call it," Atem explained. "Don't think; just believe!"

Everyone stood with their eyes closed, and one by one, in a cloud of sparkles, a DiaDhank formed on each of their wrists.

"Whoa!" Joey exclaimed, admiring the DiaDhank with awe. "What is this? A gold Duel Disk or something'?"

"It is indeed very similar to a Duel Disk, Joey," Atem told him. "Use it like one. Call upon the monster which resides within your soul."

Joey scratched his head thoughtfully. He had no idea how to do that; he was used to summoning monsters by placing down cards from his Duel Monsters deck.

Ryo turned to face the Pharaoh. "You would like us to summon our Ka to defeat him?" he queried.

"Yes," answered Atem. "The Thief King is relentless. He will not stop until he gets what he wants. Right now he wants his revenge, and he will do everything in his power to hurt everyone he despises."

The white-haired teen looked thoughtful for a moment. "He wasn't always like that..." he murmured under his breath.

"We can stop him!" Tea announced. "There's only one of him against all of us! If we work together, we can defeat him!"

"Be careful, Tea," Atem warned. "You mustn't underestimate him. His Ka was able to destroy Slifer the Sky Dragon; its power matches that of the Egyptian Gods."

"It won't be able to focus on everyone's Ka at once," Marik pointed out. "Even if it can overwhelm one of the gods, it won't be able to destroy all of our monsters at once."

"We can surround his monster and have all of our monsters attack it at once," Ishizu planned.

"Don't be so sure," came Rena's voice which echoed through the world. "It wouldn't be fun to watch you defeat the thief with ease; that's why I won't let you face him with such large numbers!"

As everyone looked around to try figuring out where the voice was coming from, a red magician with tanned skin and white hair, almost appearing somewhat identical to Akefia, floated down before the group with a grin on his face.

"What the-! Is that the Dark Magician?!" exclaimed Tristan.

"No," Yugi responded. "Not mine, at least. I've seen this one before; Arkana used it in his duel against the Pharaoh."

"He did indeed," Atem recalled. "I remember the duel quite well. I never thought I'd see Arkana's Dark Magician again..."

"I don't think this Arkana was the one who originally mastered such a beast," Tauren spoke up. "This is the Ka of the false queen."

Rena's Ka. It had come into existence three years prior to now, since that is when Rena's spirit first formed. It must have appeared before Arkana in a dream or vision after his accident - a vision deliberately created by Rena to give the Pharaoh a warning that one day she would be a threat when Arkana faced him in that duel.

The Red Magician pointed his sceptre and blasted a ball of energy towards them, a psychotic grin on his face. The energy blast was not destructive, however, as instead when everyone re-opened their eyes they each found themselves in different locations throughout the city. Not only would they have to spend more time finding each other, but they would have to tackle Akefia. Preferably they would fight him as a group, but Rena obviously didn't want things to be that way and would probably use the Red Magician again to keep everyone apart. It looked like the heroes would have to fight Akefia alone if they came across him.

To some, such as Tea, Sakura or Ishizu, the thought of facing Akefia alone was worrying, but others seemed to be searching for him rather than looking for the others.

Akuto was one man who sprinted straight through the city's streets in search of the thief. He never liked him. This was a man who had tortured him and left a woman to die. This was a man who abandoned his own child and almost brought harm to during the original palace tragedy. Akuto had quite a few reasons to want to get back at him.

The black-haired bandit, now once again covering the lower half of his face with his bandana, figured that running across the rooftops would help him to find Akefia much faster. He followed the sounds of screaming, and from his new height he could see Diabound in the distance. Keeping his eyes locked onto the beast, Akuto made his way towards the scene of destruction.

Akefia laughed hysterically, surrounded by flaming buildings as people fled the scene. Diabound fired its signature beam which brought an end to many of these unfortunate shadows; even if they had no real conscience, Akefia found joy in hearing dying screams as he caused so much devastation.

"Akefia!" yelled Akuto as he stood atop one of the fallen buildings. Akefia curiously turned his head as he watched Akuto lower his bandana. It took the thief king a few moments to remember the man, but once he recalled who he was, he grinned.

"You're not one of them, are you?" he asked. "How delightful; I'm going to enjoy destroying something which can actually feel pain!"

"I won't be destroyed by someone as lowly as you," Akuto informed. "You're the one who deserves to be obliterated!"

Akefia only laughed. "Very well; let's see if you can entertain me!" he challenged, raising his arm. "Diabound! Attack with Helical Shockwave!" His large Ka floated to his side, its snake head preparing to launch the attack. Akuto was quick to react by jumping from the ruined building milliseconds before the beam was fired, the impact destroying the rest of the structure and sending Akuto flying by a few feet before he hit the ground. He flipped back onto his feet and held up the arm which had a DiaDhank attached to it.

"Safira! Come to my side and help me bring an end to this miserable thief's life once and for all!" he hollered. Akefia frowned as a humanoid dragon let out a screech and suddenly swooped down from the skies, heading straight for Akefia. Diabound flew in front of him protectively and caught the blue dragon, and so Safira began to claw at Diabound aggressively as the white beast fought back with all of its brute strength, leaving Akuto to deal with Akefia himself.

Akuto darted towards Akefia with his two daggers ready for use, but as he raised one arm to attack with Akefia swiftly grabbed him by both wrists and wrestled him for a moment before throwing him to the floor. The thief in the red cloak cackled and grabbed Akuto by his hair, then slamming his face into the sandy ground.

"Come now, Akuto, I thought you were a bandit!" he mocked, lifting the man's head out of the sand so that he could hear him. "Or was your survival just mere luck on the night my Diabound destroyed the others?" The silver-haired thief glanced up at the sky, witnessing the duel between Diabound and Safira. His cruel grin widened.

"You were saved by that blind girl," he discovered. "The one who became the dragon which is now your Ka. Oh, how poetic!" His laughter made fury build up within Akuto before the former bandit grabbed his arms and flipped his foe onto his back. He dropped down, straddling Akefia's waist, with both of his daggers at the thief's neck, once again held by the wrists.

"Do not insult Safira, you heartless dog," Akuto hissed. Akefia was scowling but his smirk was quick to return.

"I've found your weakness," he said. "Diabound! Destroy Safira, and make her death last!"

Diabound continued to battle with Safira, but Akuto looked determined to end Akefia right now and knew that if he did so then Diabound would also vanish.

"What did she see in you?" Akuto asked through clenched teeth. "What did Nefertari see in you, Akefia?!"

That name. He hadn't heard it in over five thousand years. It pulled on the strings of his heart and caused him to lose focus for a moment. Nefertari. The one person who understood him. The woman he once truly loved.

"She died for you!" Akuto snapped. "Everyone has always thought of me as some evil bandit, but I was there for her when you should've been! It's your fault she died! If you weren't so selfish, you would've been able to protect her!" Akefia's puzzled expression slowly shifted into one of hate and anger as Akuto continued to speak. "The last time I saw her she was in tears; she wasn't the same woman who stood with you at her side. She was broken, but she still cared about you! And in her arms she was holding a little white-haired kid - _your_ kid! A kid I had to raise! A kid I had to protect from you because you had just lost your mind!"

There was a silence, and for a moment it looked like Akuto had got through to Akefia. But the thief suddenly used all of his strength to throw Akuto off of him and kick him as hard as he could in the ribs. The thief jumped up to his feet and glared down at the other man. "Nefertari's fatal mistake was caring about someone like me," he spoke quietly. "She died because she was a fool. I thought she knew better." The man kicked Akuto again, seeing him grimace in pain. Instead of finishing him off, however, Akefia decided to flee. "Diabound!" he called. "We are done here!" And with that, Akefia left Akuto on the ground.

Safira, in her dragon form, lowered to the ground and carefully lifted Akuto, knowing that the streets weren't safe for him. She decided to fly him to safety, knowing that he would be safer with one of the others he knew well.

 _..._

Tauren had witnessed the fight between Safira and Diabound and was running towards the scene, but on the way he was stopped by a blast of energy which narrowly avoided him. The teal-haired man turned around, narrowing his light green eyes upon seeing his cousin.

"It's been some time since we've had a confrontation, Mana," Tauren said to her, looking at both her and her Ka, the Dark Magician Girl.

"You must be helping that queen," Mana accused, pointing her wand. "You served another queen in the past who was associated with Apophis; you must be serving this queen, too!"

"I sided with a queen who hated Apophis," Tauren corrected. "This queen is not the same woman. I want to stop her before she summons Apophis, but right now I must stop the Thief King."

Mana looked surprised. "The Thief King?" she echoed, remembering the man. "He's the one who killed my master and the Pharaoh!"

"He is," Tauren nodded. "You can help us, Mana; the Pharaoh is the one who told me and many other allies, new and old, to defeat the thief."

"The Pharaoh's here, too?" Mana gasped in surprise. "And... Master Mahad?"

"He has not been seen," Tauren admitted. "It is possible that he might be here, but we must defeat the King of Thieves so that we can defeat the queen; if we do not act quickly, then Apophis will be summoned into this world when the sun sets."

Mana looked towards the sun, seeing that already it was quite low. She looked back at Tauren and nodded her head. "If the Pharaoh is with you, then I will fight beside you," she decided. Tauren smiled slightly.

"Let us defeat the thief," he said to her. The pair looked toward the fight scene, only to see Diabound flying further away through the city.

 _..._

Akefia walked through the streets slowly, with Diabound destroying everything in his path. The scar-faced man wore a face of emptiness just like he used to do. These false screams were not bringing any joy to him. He was just lost in thought, hearing what Akuto had said to him over and over again in his head.

A son. Akefia had a son.

He remembered him.

 _"Father...? Please, can you hear me...? I know you're in there..."_

When he was trapped within the Millennium Ring, he heard a voice calling for him. It was a voice foreign to him, but now the young male's voice made sense to him. That voice belonged to his son who was once cared for by Akuto. But being a fusion of himself and Zorc, Akefia had done nothing to respond to the boy that day.

"Akefia!" he suddenly heard. The man stopped walking and didn't even turn to face behind him. "Diabound, destroy," he commanded emotionlessly, causing his Diabound to turn and unleash its Helical Shockwave. Ryo was the one to dive out of the way of the attack, his survival causing Akefia to turn and face him. The thief said nothing and instead only began to walk towards the younger male.

"Please, Akefia, allow me to speak," Ryo requested, his shakiness evident in his fearful voice. "You must listen to me. I know who you are. I know everything about you. I've relived your memories because you and I share the same soul."

"Diabound," Akefia called again. "Attack now with Helical Shockwave." Diabound repeated its attack and Ryo dodged again, but this time he did not move out of the way quick enough to remain unscathed. He held his wounded arm painfully, gritting his teeth to contain his growls and whimpers of pain. Still, Ryo was determined to get through to his past self.

"Everyone is coming for you," he continued. "People from my time and your time. People who have always hated you and people who could once call you an ally. They want to destroy you for good, Akefia. I'm supposed to be fighting you right now, but I will not. They do not know you like how I know you; you're not the villain they think you are."

"Diabound!" Akefia shouted. Diabound knew exactly what to do and repeated his attack, this time almost giving Ryo the full force of it. The young teenager collapsed to the ground but forced himself back onto his feet. Akefia stopped walking while Ryo began to limp closer to him, his eyes half-lidded.

"You can't... gain anything... here..." Ryo panted. "We're all... victims... in... that queen's... game... Please, Akefia... You must... listen... to me... We have... to stop... her... You're... You're not... our... enemy..."

Ryo dropped to his knees from his wounds and Akefia stared at him for a moment, frowning when he had made his decision. "Diabound," he spoke, this time in a soft tone of voice as if he was already regretting his choice. "Destroy him." Ryo could do nothing as his brown eyes stared up at the beast, too petrified to look away. He could see it ready to fire in his direction.

And he did.

But the beam did not hit him.

Ryo slowly lifted his head to see what had stopped the attack, seeing the Gravekeeper's Heretic standing in front of him. That Gravekeeper must have been Janeiro's Ka.

Only it wasn't Janeiro's.

Akefia looked around to find the one who had summoned this monster, hate in his eyes. His expression changed completely, however, when he saw a woman with light blue hair standing not too far away from the scene. Standing in her black dress, she stared right at him.

Nefertari.

The thief's eyes were wide. Nefertari was here. Now what was he supposed to do?

...This wasn't the real Egypt. He knew that he could not achieve his goal here; most of these people were just shadows, and even if he did find and eliminate everyone he saw as a foe, Apophis would still be summoned by the queen of this world. There was truly nothing for him to gain here, and there was nothing for him to lose.

So he called off his Diabound and allowed his shocked gaze to soften. He turned slightly and took one small and hesitant step in Nefertari's direction, freezing again out of pure surprise. This was a woman he hadn't seen in five thousand years. Her expression was so hard; he had to let her know that he was still himself. He wasn't Zorc's mind slave anymore; he had just been damaged by the dark ruler.

He finally allowed his guard to drop. The corners of his lips twitched awkwardly as he was about to let himself smile...

But something suddenly pierced the skin of his back.

A restrained choke came from within Akefia's throat as his eyes widened.

He fell to his knees.

Then, he fell onto his front.

Both Ryo and Nefertari were horrified at the sight, seeing that an arrow had pierced Akefia's flesh deeply. And after Akefia had fallen, Nefertari could see who it was who had shot him. Her look of pure horror turned to one of anger as she locked eyes with the man who returned her gaze with one of a challenger. He lowered his bow but it was clear that he knew the fight was not over, for Nefertari took out her spear. This was going to be a battle settled without monsters.

And so, Nefertari prepared herself to charge while Mahad prepared his bow with another arrow.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	37. Chapter XXXVII

**~Chapter XXXVII~**

Safira managed to locate Anku, who was wandering alone elsewhere in the city. She lowered herself, holding Akuto in her arms. The magenta-haired male almost became defensive upon seeing her, but realised exactly who she was.

"Safira," he greeted with a bow. "I did not expect to see you here." She was silent, but Anku, upon seeing the DiaDhank on Akuto's wrist, realised that Safira was only here because of him. "Ah, I see," he noted. "You are Akuto's Ka. How surprising."

The spellcaster took Akuto carefully from her, lying him on the ground to examine his injuries. "He was attacked," he understood, lifting his head so that his black and orange eyes met Safira's. "Was this the work of the Thief King?" Safira nodded her head sadly as Anku looked back at the wounded Akuto. "I will tend to him," he decided. "I will have to be as quick as I can; the others may also need my help."

With that said, Anku lifted Akuto up and carried him through the streets to find somewhere safe, and Safira disappeared.

 _..._

Nefertari swerved to avoid one of Mahad's arrows, yelling in rage as she charged towards him with her spear. She avoided a second arrow before reaching the High Priest, tackling him to the ground. She held her spear above his chest, but with both hands Mahad clasped the spear and fought back to prevent himself from being fatally wounded.

"Have you lost your mind, Nefertari?!" Mahad snapped at her. "No, I needn't ask such a question; you lost your mind when Apophis possessed you!"

"Lost my mind?!" Nefertari roared, still fighting to impale Mahad with her spear. "Can you not see what you have just done?!"

"He was rampaging through the city!" Mahad yelled at her. "Just like he has done before!"

"This city is false!" Nefertari revealed to him.

"He would have harmed any of the true souls here!" Mahad argued. "You don't know him, Neffy!"

"Do not call me that!" Nefertari bellowed, trying to shake off his hands to stop him from fighting back against her.

"What makes you think you know him?!" Mahad demanded to know. "He was a criminal! A tomb thief! You were dead when the palace tragedy occurred; if you had witnessed those events, you would not be defending that man!"

"I saw what he did!" Nefertari corrected with anger. "I knew his plans to attack the palace, and I knew that he wanted to summon Zorc! I watched him carry out his attack from the afterlife!"

Mahad scowled. "You knew of his plans and you never told me?" he responded quietly.

"You would have had him executed," Nefertari excused.

"Rightfully so!" Mahad snapped. "Why would you defend such a man?!"

"Because I loved him, Mahad!"

Nefertari's response made Mahad fall silent, though he did not lose focus on his struggle against Nefertari's spear. However, Nefertari was putting less force into her attempt at plunging the sharp end of her weapon into the priest's chest. She was trembling and tears began to leak from her rage-filled purple eyes.

Mahad glanced to the side thoughtfully. He remembered Akefia mentioning Nefertari to him during the battle. Akefia had said something along the lines of Nefertari's death fueling his hatred for the Capital, therefore strengthening his Diabound. He also remembered Akefia in his final moments, where a great evil force seemed to exit his body. Before Mahad ended Akefia's life, Akefia muttered a single name to himself: "Neffy".

Since Nefertari was no longer using all of her strength, Mahad was able to push her off and stand himself up. He stood over her with his eyes narrowed.

"That man," he spoke quietly. "The Thief King. He was the father of your child. The child I spared for you."

Nefertari slowly sat herself up and glared at Mahad. "Yes," she answered firmly. Mahad scowled a little, clenching his fists.

"Perhaps killing that boy would have been better," he admitted. Nefertari did not even think before reacting to his words, taken over by fury. She stood and grabbed Mahad by his shoulders, proceeding to wrestle with him as they both used nothing but their hands.

Ryo crawled over to Akefia painfully, examining his back. The arrow was sticking into his flesh through his red robe. The teen attempted to remove it, but the arrow was barbed and removing it so forcefully would make the wound worse. Ryo was already beginning to panic.

"Oh, no..." he murmured. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." As he always did when under stress, Ryo repeatedly muttered the same two words over and over again. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...!"

However, Akefia began to stir. He grimaced in agony before slowly opening his dark-coloured eyes, sitting himself up and snarling from the stinging pain he could feel in his back. Ryo shuffled back in shock, feeling his heart stop when Akefia's eyes met his. He stared hatefully for a split second before back-handing the boy across his face.

"Keep your hands off me, boy!" he barked, staggering up to his feet painfully. He reached back and screamed as he pulled the arrow from his own flesh, discarding the blood-covered weapon onto the floor. He turned his head, witnessing the fight between Mahad and Nefertari.

Mahad. That man had caused quite enough problems. The Thief King made an attempt to stand, his hate fueling him, but his legs gave way and he was once again on the ground. The wound to his back was too painful.

"A-Akefia...!" Ryo stuttered, holding his hand to his swollen cheek where Akefia had struck him. "Your wound... it must be treated!"

"I must kill that priest!" Akefia spat, glaring a deadly stare back at the boy. "Don't try to stop me; I won't be afraid to kill you, too!" The DiaDhank on his wrist began to glow, but he couldn't find the strength to summon his Diabound. He was growing weaker and weaker. Sand was already in his wound and it was bleeding badly, and the injury itself was deep. The man huffed and grunted in agony, pushing Ryo away when he instinctively tried to help him. He lay down on his side with his face scrunched from the pain.

"Please, you must be healed..." Ryo whispered, still wounded from his own ordeal. "If you die here... you might never return..."

"I don't... need... help...!" Akefia snarled, panting to catch his breath. But he knew deep down that he was too weak to do anything.

Mahad threw Nefertari to the ground, though he almost looked guilty as he fought her. "You don't understand what kind of man the Thief King is!" he yelled down at the outcast queen. "He blinded you, Nefertari; that man is corrupt! He is the very embodiment of evil!"

"You lie!" Nefertari screamed, forcing herself to stand again. She glanced quickly at the scene with Akefia, seeing that Ryo, despite his own injuries, was trying to tend to the thief. The scene was almost familiar to her; Akefia had never been one to appreciate the help of others. But she knew she had to go over there and help him; she couldn't let him die.

As she turned her head Mahad brought his fist to her face, knocking her stumbling back. "That man is a killer!" he continued. "He killed many of the High Priests, Neffy! He killed the people you were supposed to be a part of! He slaughtered me, and for thousands of years I have served the Pharaoh who sacrificed himself to put an end to him and the demon he summoned!"

"His entire home was destroyed and his family was killed to create the items you wielded!" Nefertari shot back, holding her bleeding nose.

"The village was full of evil people!" Mahad countered.

"Evil in your eyes!" Nefertari corrected. "I was seen as evil, too! Would you have justified a massacre of my people, as well?! Would you have led an army to slaughter everyone living in El-Isfet?!"

"El-Isfet was not the same as Kul Elna!" Mahad snapped at her. "Kul Elna was a village of evil bandits!"

"And their children!" Nefertari almost screamed at the top of her lungs. "Their wives! Were they all evil bandits, Mahad?! Was it right to kill those children because of what their parents did?!"

Mahad was actually stumped and couldn't answer swiftly. Seeing this, Nefertari knew that her point had been proven. "Believe whatever those scumbag priests taught you," she spat. "Believe that Aknadin made a necessary sacrifice. Believe that the slaughter was right in the eyes of the gods. But I'll always see you and the other priests, who wielded items made from the bodies of murder victims, have been brainwashed."

With that said, Nefertari sprinted towards Akefia and Ryo so that she could help the wounded thief king. Mahad snapped out of his thoughts and quickly reclaimed his bow, loading it with an arrow and aiming at the blue-haired woman as she ran. He pulled back the bowstring and prepared to shoot her in the back so that she wouldn't reach Akefia.

But he couldn't do it.

He couldn't bring himself to fire. He couldn't kill Nefertari. He had already taken part in killing her once, and that pain lived with him even as he became the Dark Magician.

So he slowly lowered his bow.

Nefertari reached Akefia and dropped to his side, seeing that the sand beneath him was stained with fresh blood. She examined him, making sure to be wary of his injury so that she didn't cause him any pain when she touched him. The woman looked over at Ryo.

"You must take it easy," she said to him. "Akefia's Diabound has severely burned your flesh." Ryo took in her words and just decided to sit there, his eyelids fluttering as if he were about to fall unconscious. Nefertari returned her focus onto Akefia, carefully shifting him so that she could slip off his red robe. At some point he yelped in agony, but truthfully causing him pain was inevitable.

Nefertari was able to remove the cloak, revealing Akefia's bare back. His eyes were now closed and his breaths were short. Using her hands, Nefertari put pressure on the wound in order to stop the bleeding. "You're going to be alright, Akefia," she assured, hiding her uncertainty. "I'm here." There were tears in her eyes, but she knew that breaking down now would be a bad idea. She had to stay strong if she wanted to save his life.

"Mahad!" came Mana's voice as she ran right towards her former master, having not noticed Nefertari, Akefia and Ryo. Mahad turned to look at her with surprise in his eyes.

"Mana," he reacted calmly, only seconds before she jumped up and latched onto him like a monkey. She laughed through her tears of joy, nuzzling her face into his shoulder.

"Master Mahad!" she cried with a smile. Mahad held her, still appearing shocked for a few more seconds before smiling slightly. It had been some time since he and Mana had seen each other. It had been thousands of years, to be precise.

Tauren watched the pair as they reunited, but he was quick to spot Nefertari kneeling beside the man he had been pursuing. The teal-haired spellcaster walked towards her, not even uttering a word as he stopped beside her. Nefertari gasped and looked up at him, seeing a stern look in his gaze.

"Tauren," she wavered. "I'm not losing him again. Please... Please, don't make me lose him!"

For a moment Tauren stared almost emotionlessly before closing his lime green eyes. "I will heal him," he decided. "But, my queen, he is dangerous. He must be kept under control."

"I don't care, just hurry!" Nefertari demanded, panicking. She couldn't lose Akefia when she had only just reunited with him. Tauren, in response, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial, handing it to the queen.

"Get him to drink this," the former slave commanded. "It will heal his wounds." Tauren pulled out a second vial and handed it to Ryo. "You need to be healed, as well; those burn wounds are very severe." Ryo took the vial and hesitantly drank from it, not caring about the bad taste. Because he had so many wounds, the healing process was slow for him.

Nefertari held Akefia's face and carefully forces him to part his lips. "Drink this for me, love," she whispered, pouring the liquid into his mouth. He was able to swallow it, but the moment he did he coughed and spluttered, disgusted with the vile taste as he sat himself up, grimacing. He shuddered and shook his head before rolling his eyes so that he was looking at Nefertari, and his empty gaze appeared to soften significantly.

There was silence as they stared at each other. Neither of them moved for a few moments until Akefia brought his hand to Nefertari's cheek as if making sure she was real. But he was still not quite convinced.

"This is an illusion," he murmured breathlessly. "This cannot be real. My soul has been discarded by the Chimeras; I've suffered a fate worse than death itself."

"Akefia, it's me," Nefertari assured, tears in her eyes.

"Prove it's you," Akefia spat viciously. "Prove to me that you're Nefertari of Outcasts."

Nefertari looked shocked, her eyes going wide. "I looked after you," she reminded him. "You lived in El-Isfet with me. I let you sleep by my side the night before you left!"

"Tell me something else!" Akefia barked, almost looking like a rabid dog.

"I don't know what you want me to say!" Nefertari responded. "I treated your wounds, I fed you... You protected my village using your Diabound!"

Akefia was suddenly on his feet, his hand around her throat. Tauren immediately drew out his wand, ready to intervene if necessary. Akefia held Nefertari up against one of the damaged walls of a ruined building, his grip on her throat tight and the glare in his eyes hateful.

"You could be looking through my own memories," he hissed. "Tell me something that only Nefertari would know. Not me."

Nefertari clutched his hand and tried to pull it off, her eyes wide with horror. Akefia's stare sent chills down her spine as she tried to fight against his strong grip, but he was much stronger than her.

She had to say something, but what? What would she know that Akefia wouldn't? He knew about her upbringing and had lived through most major occurrences in El-Isfet. There quite honestly wasn't something about her that Akefia had no knowledge of.

But there was one thing.

"R... Ram..." she choked. "Ramses... Our son... was Ramses..."

"I found out the hard way that you had our son," Akefia snarled through clenched teeth. "Ramses was the name I wanted to name a boy if I had one... How can I make sure that you aren't some demon making up false information? My real son might not be named Ramses at all."

"He is named Ramses...!" Nefertari spluttered. "He was born... in some village ruins...! Akuto... Akuto found me with him... a-and... Mahad... Mahad was there... That was the day... he took me back to the Capital... for the trial... but... he... he let... Ramses... l... li...ve..." Her eyelids were fluttering as she was struggling to grip onto her consciousness.

Akefia's dark eyes narrowed, refusing to loosen his grip as he glowered hatefully at her, but suddenly his eyes closed and he dropped her, choosing to turn his back on the outcast queen as he rubbed her throat and coughed heavily.

"I'll never be convinced," he muttered. "But even if you were a Chimera trying to destroy my soul... I cannot kill a creature with Nefertari's face and voice. I wouldn't even do it for Zorc."

Tauren helped Nefertari up to her feet, frowning at Akefia. "This is no Chimera," he informed him. "She is not here to destroy your soul. None of us are. We're all here because of the false queen sitting upon the royal throne."

Akefia frowned and stared towards the palace. "A false queen?" he repeated quietly.

"Yes, Akefia," Tauren nodded. "She intends to summon Apophis, and once he has been summoned... I believe he will shatter existence itself before re-writing history in his favour."

"Tch," Akefia reacted. "Then let's kill that queen!" He froze for a moment when he looked at Nefertari, seeing her still sitting on the floor but with her head down. He could hear her sniffling. Tears were dripping from her hidden face and onto the sand.

Slowly Akefia approached her, despite some pain still being in his back. He offered his hand to her, his expression vacant. "My queen," he murmured, catching her attention. The young woman slowly lifted her head to look up at him before glancing away to the side.

"You'll never believe it's me..." she wavered. "Even after I waited for you for over five thousand years... you think I'm nothing but a phantom sent to trick you."

Without saying anything, Akefia lifted Nefertari and pulled her into a sudden and tight embrace. One arm was wrapped around her waist while his other hand was on the back of her head. His gaze was still somewhat vacant, but his eyes were gentle.

"My heart is still soft for you," he muttered. "After everything I've done... After all of the evil I have had coursing through my body... I still grow soft for you, Nefertari."

At this, Nefertari broke down sobbing into Akefia's shoulder, clutching onto him but being careful of his wound. She had missed him. She had really missed him. Finally, after all these years, after being alone in the afterlife, she was once again able to feel his warmth.

Akefia only grew softer, holding her closer to him as he shook slightly. This had to be her. He knew it had to be her. Nobody could mimic her so perfectly.

Mahad could see the pair, as could Mana. The latter individual gasped. "Mahad, it's him!" she exclaimed with horror. "The Thief King! Shouldn't we stop him?!"

For a good while Mahad only stared silently before finally turning his head away. "No," he answered quietly. "We must find the others. We must find our Pharaoh."

"But... that man's evil..." Mana reacted, sounding confused.

"I don't think the world is separated into good and evil, Mana," Mahad admitted. "Now come; we must stop Apophis before the sun sets."

Mahad and Mana walked away in search of other High Priests and Atem, but the sun seemed to be setting much faster.

In fact, the sunset was merely moments away.

 _..._

Kubui and Kekku, followed by Janeiro and Haku, ran towards the palace. They knew that time was running out.

"Rena!" Janeiro yelled. "Stop, Rena! You cannot summon Apophis!"

Rena grinned upon hearing her former host, choosing to stand up from her throne as she faced the new crowd. Her Red Magician floated at her side, prepared to defend her from any attacks.

"You're too late, Janeiro," the false queen mocked. "Apophis will rise any minute now!"

"No!" Janeiro cried. "You mustn't! The world will end! _You_ will end!"

"The fate of the world is not my concern," Rena smirked. "I'm a survivor, little Janeiro - a survivor who craves power and destruction!"

"Hey, guys?" Kubui spoke up awkwardly. "Hate to alarm you, but... it's kinda dark outside."

He was right.

The sun had set.

"Stop her!" Haku commanded. Kekku was the one to run forwards with a knife at the ready, prepared to stab the woman, only to be blasted back by the Red Magician's Dark Magic Attack.

"Kekku!" Janeiro shouted, sounding worried for him. But when she turned her head, she could see Rena with a dark aura surrounding her as she began to laugh maniacally.

"Nothing can stop it now!" she cackled. "Apophis, Lord of Chaos! You have waited too long for your revival, but wait no more! Tonight you shall be reborn into this world!"

Rena screamed in what sounded like great agony as a dark spirit seemed to be exiting her body through her mouth, taking a part of her amalgamated soul with it. The Red Magician remained there as her protector to make sure that the other four didn't try to harm her during the process, and the world around them began to distort slightly.

"Run," Haku muttered quietly, taking a few steps back. Kubui and Janeiro were frozen in horror, so he had to repeat himself much louder. "RUN!"

Kubui grabbed Kekku and ran out of the palace as Janeiro and Haku sprinted as well. Rena's screams echoed throughout the world, which was now darker due to an evil mist, but male laughter could be heard amidst her shrieks.

When the four had left the palace, they hopelessly gazed up at the balcony. The screaming and the laughter had fallen silent.

But then out he stepped. Standing on the balcony was a pale-skinned man with long white hair, with black eyes and yellow irises containing black slits for pupils. He wore the black and green robes Janeiro had previously seen him in during a vision in the real Egypt, and he grinned with sharp fangs visible even from the distance everyone was standing at. The young man flicked his snake-like tongue before raising his arms.

"Behold!" Apophis bellowed. "The Eternity of Chaos begins now!"

 **~End of Chapter~**


	38. Chapter XXXVIII

**~Chapter XXXVIII~**

Tauren helped Ryo up to his feet, but when the world became dark he immediately looked towards the palace. Apophis was standing on the balcony.

"No..." he gasped. "He has awoken!"

Ryo also turned to look, his eyes as wide as they could be despite still appearing weak and weary. They were too late. Apophis was finally free.

"He's in a mortal form," Akefia noted, frowning.

"But he's still powerful," Tauren added. "He may not look as monstrous as Zorc, but he's strong. I doubt magic can be used against him in this world; this world is his own."

"If we do nothing he'll destroy us all," Nefertari stated. "We have to get to the palace!"

"I have to take this boy to safety," Tauren said, referring to Ryo. "He has been wounded."

Akefia folded his arms. "He won't be of any use to us, anyway," he muttered. "This is a task for those who know how to fight."

Tauren frowned slightly at him. "You never were the apologetic type, were you?" he responded. Akefia simply flashed a grin, so Tauren sighed and turned to face Nefertari. "I'll take him back to the inn; you two should look for some of the others."

"We don't need anyone else's help," Akefia spat.

"You think you can go against a god by yourself?" Tauren replied, tension evident in his tone.

"I _was_ a god!" Akefia countered proudly. "I fused my soul with Zorc's and became a powerful entity!"

"Well, now you're just Akefia," Tauren told him simply before turning and carrying Ryo away. Akefia narrowed his eyes.

"That smug little spellcaster..." he grumbled. "I preferred him when he was the timid slave boy!"

"We don't have time for this, Akefia," Nefertari spoke up. "We don't have time to hate anyone. We have to stop Apophis before he erases all of our souls!"

"Then let's go!" Akefia barked. "We don't need anyone else to help us!" He was about to run towards the palace, but Nefertari suddenly grabbed his hand. The scar-faced male turned his head sharply to look back at her with a glare, but the woman had tears in her eyes.

"No, Akefia..." she wavered, shaking her head slowly. "I watched you work alone once. I watched you fail and die, and then I waited for five thousand years... I'm not losing you again; we have to work with the others! We need as many allies as possible!"

Akefia's glare slowly softened before he glanced aside, pulling his hand away from hers. "Fine," he hissed. The blue-haired woman smiled happily.

"Let's just head to Haku's inn," she suggested. "That's where the others might be heading."

Akefia grumbled and lowered his head, wearing a scowl upon his face, but he obeyed the woman's commands. He began to walk despite not knowing which inn Nefertari was referring to, causing the woman to sigh quietly. She hurried after him and held onto his arm, catching his attention. Fortunately he didn't seem to mind and continued to walk with her holding onto him.

 _..._

 _Haku's Inn, There Is No Time_

Janeiro was sitting with many of the others who, as predicted by Nefertari, had retreated to Haku's inn, as that had always been a known safe spot in the city even in ancient times. She, along with the many who had returned to the inn, were being cared for by Haku, who was asking for the names of those who were not present. Upon hearing the door open, he saw the last two individuals to account for: Tauren and Ryo. Janeiro immediately stood up and covered her own mouth, gasping in pure horror when seeing Ryo's burn wounds. She jogged over as Tauren lay Ryo in the corner of the room.

"Ryo!" she cried, falling to her kneeds beside him. "Ryo, what happened?!"

Ryo let out a quiet groan, keeping his eyes closed. He needed to rest and could not find the energy to deliver an answer.

"He was attacked," Tauren answered for him.

"Who by?" Janeiro questioned. "Was it Yami Bakura? Apophis? ...No; it was Akefia, wasn't it?"

"Yes," Tauren confirmed. "Akefia sicked his Diabound on him, but he was rescued."

"By who?" Janeiro queried.

Before Tauren could answer, the door swung open once again. Everyone instantly became tense, expecting a threat to walk in, but many of the ancient individuals, including Atem, went wide-eyed upon seeing the return of Nefertari, who helped Akefia walk inside.

Marik stood himself up in shock, recognizing that this was the same woman portrayed in the tomb he discovered in the present day. "That's her," he said. "You. You're the woman buried in the tomb I discovered."

Nefertari stared at Marik as if confused, mostly baffled by his clothing. However, as someone who had watched time go by for thousands of years, she quickly identified that Marik was a modern-day individual much like Ryo. "You discovered my tomb?" she queried.

"Yes," Marik replied in awe.

"It's nice to meet you," Nefertari responded. "How does it feel talking to a spirit from the past?"

"It happens more often than you think," Marik admitted, laughing awkwardly.

Riko stepped up and nudged Marik to the side, glaring at Nefertari. "We have more important things to be talking about," she grumbled, though it was really quite obvious that she was just paranoid about other women talking to the man she had her eyes on.

"...Indeed we do," Nefertari agreed awkwardly after a slight pause.

Only now did the young woman notice that Akefia had turned his attention to Atem, and that Atem had returned the favour. Atem simply frowned at the sight of him while Akefia bared his teeth and gave him the most hateful glare a man could give.

Atem slowly approached, seeing that Nefertari became somewhat defensive as she pulled Akefia even closer to her despite already holding him to keep him supported.

"I thought your soul had been destroyed," the young Pharaoh commented.

"Guess again, Pharaoh," Akefia spat viciously. "It took me thousands of years to put my plan into place; my soul will not be so easy to annihilate."

"It was not you who planned what happened in those events," Atem corrected. "It was Zorc. He was controlling you; I saw it. When he left your body, you were confused. You didn't even know who I was."

Akefia narrowed his eyes and attempted to step closer to the Pharaoh, but Nefertari stopped him. "Don't," she commanded. "We don't have time for this. Apophis is about to consume the timelines and we aren't even at our full strength to fight him with; please, you must restrain yourself until we defeat him, Akefia."

The thief glared at her before allowing his hateful stare to soften. "Fine," his hissed, looking away from Atem.

"Hold on!" Riko exclaimed suddenly. "Isn't this the guy we were just after not too long ago? The guy who almost killed Ryo?"

Janeiro was the one to stand up and look at Akefia, her expression one of fear but also one of determination. "We can trust him," she announced, though her voice, as always, was not that loud. She was still able to get the attention of the others, luckily, and even Akefia gave her a somewhat surprised gaze. "He's done bad, but he's not as bad as you think he is. Our enemy is Apophis; we do not have time to fight among ourselves when we should be fighting the one trying to destroy everything!"

Nefertari nodded in agreement, staring at Janeiro thoughtfully as she verbally responded. "The girl is right," she agreed. "Apophis is the embodiment of chaos and evil. We must stop him before he destroys us all."

Kubui was looking outside at the dark city before he retreated into the building completely, a look of horror on his face. "Um... I don't want to alarm anyone, but I think I know why Apophis was summoned after sunset," he revealed. Most of the modern individuals looked completely confused, but the ancient spirits were full of shock at the understanding of Kubui's words.

The Desert Children.

 _..._

 _The Palace Which Was Once For Pharaohs_

Apophis stared down at the city gleefully, a wide grin on his face as he stood upon the palace balcony and giggled to himself. However, the sound of footsteps behind him caught his attention, though his grin did not fade at all.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," he mused, turning around to lock his bright green eyes onto Yami Bakura. "If it isn't Zorc's weakening soul. Tell me; how does it feel now that you are but a shadow of your former self while I am all of me?"

Bakura narrowed his eyes while wearing a frown. "You know, you shouldn't sound so confident when we appear to be evenly matched," he retorted. "If this truly is you at full power, you must be no stronger than I am at this moment. Have you weakened over the years?"

Apophis let out a cackle. "Oh, Bakura, how you have always kept me amused," he responded. "You always talk big before defeat. When will you ever change?"

"Today," Bakura answered, "because I'm not talking before defeat." The pale man's words prompted a loud chortle from Apophis.

"You truly are a fool!" he insulted. "Then again, I should expect nothing less from a conscious cloud of nothing but shadows and darkness. You're doomed to be blind; you have no power over me here!" His green eyes glowed brightly as he held out his arms. "This is _my_ world, Yami Bakura; I can see everything here. I am in control of everything here. This world is my playground, and here I will pick off each soul one by one. Then when I am done here, I will consume the timelines and become the ultimate god! I will exist in the past, present and future, and no matter where you look, living creatures will be obeying me!"

Bakura flashed a grin. "Your playful nature will be the end of you," he told him. "If you would just be done with everyone here then you would win, but instead you choose to take your time, giving myself and those mortals time destroy you. Although, I really cannot criticize you, can I? I, too, love to play games, but I suppose I have learned after the Pharaoh defeated me during the Shadow Game I forced him into."

"Unlike you, Bakura, there is no way that these mortals can defeat me - or you, for that matter," Apophis countered. "If they do somehow find a weakness and come close to winning this battle, I have the power to... well, I suppose comparing it to a self-destruct sequence gives you the clear picture."

Bakura could only chuckle, shrugging his shoulders. "You think far too highly of yourself," he stated. "I am the master of all things evil. You are just a god of chaos. In fact, I don't think you deserve to be known as a "god" anymore. You were defeated millenia ago, and then you were reborn into a mortal child. It seems that I am not the only one of us who is but a mere shadow of a greater being."

Again, Apophis laughed loudly. "That's where you're wrong, Bakura!" he announced. "The human form you see before you is only used to make encounters with mortals a little easier; I will enter my true form when the time is right, and that will be when my right to reclaim my eternal position as a god is restored!"

"You will have to wait a little longer for that, I'm afraid," Bakura announced, stepping closer to the other white-haired male as he held up his wrist, revealing a glowing DiaDhank. "Why not settle this over a Shadow Game?"

"Oh, Bakura..." Apophis chuckled darkly, his eyes once again glowing with the reptillian slits becoming even thinner. "Your Shadow Games are like my Nightmare Games... but there's only one difference: in Nightmare Games, there are no rules at all!"

Bakura stopped walking, raising his eyebrow in confusion, when a loud hiss could be heard echoing through the palace. The incarnation of Zorc turned around swiftly, seeing that in the shadows a large snake's body winded throughout the structure.

"There are no limits," Apophis claimed as a three-headed green snake slithered towards Bakura. Bakura took a few steps back, only to almost step on a white cobra which reared up at him. "No rules at all," Apophis continued. A striped snake dangled from the ceiling, hissing at Bakura. "And no chance for any of my opponents to win!"

"Hmph," Bakura grunted, not looking intimidated by the amount of monsters Apophis had control over. "Perhaps I will be the first opponent to win one of your Nightmare Games," he replied, once again holding out his DiaDhank. "Now then, I summon my own monster! Dark Necrofear!"

As Dark Necrofear began to materialize beside him, doll in hand, Bakura grinned in a way which almost made him look like he had gone insane. "And now, I'm going to turn your world into my playing field! I activate Dark Sanctuary!"

A sound of pain seemed to come from his throat as the DiaDhank on his wrist cracked and suddenly fell to the ground in a pile of golden shards, and as he fell to his knees, clutching his chest, the entire sky became dark red, filling with eyeballs and lips.

Bakura had brought modern duelist techniques into the ancient world.

If he was going to fight Apophis, then he needed to use everything he could.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	39. Chapter XXXIX

**~Chapter XXXIX~**

"Sunset? What's wrong with the sunset?" Yugi asked, noticing how the ancient spirits had become wary and worried.

"The Desert Children," Kekku explained, folding his arms. "They are the loyal followers of Apophis. Looks like they'll never change."

"You can't do anything?" Kubui queried. "Did you and your brother never make up in the afterlife?"

"I don't think the afterlife matters here," Kekku announced. "They had no purpose there, but now their purpose has been restored, so all of these lunatics are once again following Apophis."

"The Desert Children are powerful," Akuto piped up, having also made a remarkable recovery. "We're not gonna get past them easily, so if we wanna reach Apophis, we've gotta split up. Some of us have gotta keep 'em busy while the rest of us go after that snake creep."

"No way!" came Joey's voice. "We've gotta go after him together, as a team!"

"No," Atem spoke. "Joey, he is right. This will be all of us working as a team; we will not be able to defeat Apophis if the Desert Children are not occupied."

"Aw, man..." Joey murmured.

"There must be a balance," came the slimy voice of Anku as he stood, as always, with his hands together. "We need equal talents fighting the Desert Children and fighting Apophis."

"It's only right that I face Apophis," Nefertari volunteered. "I hosted his spirit. I'm the one who brought him into this world. I will not stand aside and let others face what I created."

"You may have brought him into this world, but I raised his host until the day I died," Akuto countered. "I'm going, too."

"I believe that it is only fair if I, too, battle Apophis," Akefia growled, folding his arms.

"I will, as well," Atem added, earning a hateful glare from Akefia. "I once ruled Egypt. I will never bow down to a monster such as him."

"Of course, the Pharaoh will challenge anyone so long as it makes him look good-hearted and empowered," grumbled Akefia. Atem narrowed his eyes at him.

"You're never going to change, are you, Bakura?" he asked.

"My name is Akefia," Akefia snarled before grinning. "And no, I'll be sure to have Diabound "accidentally" send one of his Helical Shockwaves in your direction." Nefertari tugged on the back of Akefia's red robe, pulling him back to her.

"Not now," she said to him quietly. This caused Akefia to sigh loudly and roll his eyes, but despite his clear anger he chose to fall silent for Nefertari's sake.

Janeiro stood up and stepped forward. "I think... I should go," she announced. "I know Apophis, as well. Apophis was in control of me once, too, and I've seen what he is through ancient memories. I know what he is capable of."

"Janeiro...!" Ryo gasped. "I-It's too dangerous...!"

"It's either him or the Desert Children," Janeiro reminded quietly before smiling at Ryo. "I think I'll be alright; after all, I was able to defeat Yami Bakura with a deck of cards. Apophis can't be much different, right?"

Ryo, almost having finally recovered from his wounds, stood up. "If you must go, then I will go, too," he declared. "We both know Apophis. We can use what we know against him, and if we maintain our strength then we will be able to summon our own monsters to battle him with."

Janeiro looked worried, but then she smiled. It was nice to have someone who would always be beside her.

Riko then dived into the discussion. "If these two are going, then so am I!" she stated. "I feel like I've got some energy deep down, like some kinda power! I'll kick this Apophis guy in the butt!" She was somewhat expecting Marik to also offer to join the fight, but he didn't, so she felt both embarrassed and disappointed.

"Guess that makes two of us," said Sakura. "I don't leave Riko no matter what."

"Alright, sis!" Riko cheered, giving Sakura a proud high-five.

"I think it's only fair that the rest of us deal with the Desert Children," spoke Haku. "But Tauren, I think you should also join them in the fight against Apophis."

Tauren looked worried. "Are you sure you'll be alright dealing with them?" he asked, concerned. Haku only smiled and chuckled.

"They need your power more than I do," he explained. "Besides, we'll have Anku. Dealing with a bunch of sand-swimming spirits is nothing compared to what you're going to do, but you are the one who must help defeat Apophis. You are powerful, Tauren, and I know you'll be able to bring him down."

Tauren smiled at Haku, then hugged him. "I will not let anybody down," he assured him. "I'll make sure Apophis is defeated before it is too late!"

Haku laughed and ruffled his teal hair. "Heh. Now, us guys will go out now and lure the Desert Children away. The rest of you should wait a while before leaving, just in case the Desert Children catch wind of what we're doing."

"Good idea, Haku," Nefertari nodded, watching as Haku opened the door to leave. "I wish you the best of luck, all of you!"

"Good luck, Marik!" Riko called out. Marik only stopped and glanced back at her before leaving with Ishizu and Odion. "...You're welcome," Riko then muttered, clearly with sarcasm.

"If anyone sees Sabu, he's mine," Kekku planned as he headed out the door. Kubui was following, but the partially-blind casanova had to stop and wave to the others with a smile.

"You guys have got this," he said before following his foreign friend.

Anku bowed just before he left. "Tauren, I trust that you will watch over everyone," he spoke. Tauren nodded.

"I will," he replied, "but something tells me that they won't be needing my protection throughout the entire battle." Anku smiled slightly and bowed again before leaving.

Yugi ran with Joey, Trista and Tea, the group waving back at the others. "We know you can do it, Ryo!" Yugi exclaimed with a smile.

"Yeah, we believe in you!" Tea added.

"Go kick his scaly butt!" Tristan extended with a grin.

"What Tristan said!" Joey agreed. Ryo and Janeiro both smiled and waved at them as they left, happy to have the encouragement. Janeiro gave Ryo a silent look, still maintaining her smile. She had always kept distant from them, but now she had finally embraced Yugi and the others. She wasn't going to let them down, and neither was Ryo.

Once everyone had made their leave, the atmosphere within the inn suddenly became awkward. This was mainly due to Akefia's presence as he once again locked eyes with Atem. Everyone noticed this, but Akuto was the one to speak up as he grunted to get attention.

"If you two don't quit staring at each other, we're gonna have some problems when our eyes are meant to be on Apophis," he pointed out. "So I suggest you two kiss and make up already."

"How can I forgive what he has done?" Atem asked calmly. "I can work alongside him to stop a greater enemy, but I can never forget what he did to my kingdom. His actions had affected the world for thousands of years."

"And I wonder who is to blame?" Akefia hissed.

Riko leaned in to Janeiro and whispered: "Pssst. Care to update us on why these two hate each other?" Janeiro looked intimidated as she watched Akefia and Atem as they interacted before she gave her quiet answer.

"It's a long story," she admitted. "Akefia attacked the capital of Egypt long ago when Atem was Pharaoh, and as a result the Pharaoh's spirit was trapped. But Akefia was guided by his hatred from youth, aided by nothing but an evil spirit, after his entire village was slaughtered by the men who worked under Atem's father."

"So basically just two guys killing civilians?" Riko summarised. Janeiro scratched her head awkwardly.

"I... I suppose you could say it like that..." she whispered. The girl then chose to step away from Riko, sitting beside Ryo against the wall. Silently, she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, not with the intention to sleep but with the intention to relax before they left to confront Apophis.

Nefertari was sitting at one of the tables. "Keffy," she called up to Akefia quietly. He reacted to her voice in a way which showed that he didn't think she was speaking to him, but when seeing her purple eyes looking in his direction he realised that she was indeed trying to get his attention, and she had used a nickname similar to her own. Now having the thief's attention, Nefertari reached forward and gestured for him to sit down. This was a command Akefia did not refuse, so he gave Atem one final scowl before sitting beside his long lost lover.

"I despise myself for having to work beside the Pharaoh," Akefia grumbled under his breath. "You may say that I am under the influence of Zorc the Dark One, with shadows of him still lingering within my soul, but nothing will undo the hatred which grew for five thousand years."

"I understand," Nefertari said, putting her hand on top of his. "It is difficult to let go of anger and hatred when your soul is so used to it. Just look at the queen who summoned Apophis; her consciousness came from the hateful portion of my soul which refused to pass on to the afterlife."

Akefia slowly turned his head to look at the sombre queen, his expression, as always, vacant. "Nefertari, there is something I must discuss with you," he realised, prompting the queen to look almost worried. "Akuto said something to me before I found you here. Something about... a child."

Nefertari glanced away with her eyes while Akuto lifted his head slightly from where he was sitting. "He told you about Ramses," the woman assumed.

"The boy," Akefia specified. "Your boy."

"Ramses," Nefertari repeated, becoming visibly tense. "I never got to watch him grow when I was alive, but I watched him grow from the afterlife." The young woman looked Akefia in the eye. "What did Akuto tell you?"

"Your son was also mine," Akefia answered. "He claimed to have raised him, presumably after you... well..."

"Akuto raised him from the day he was born," Nefertari told him. "And the day he was born was my last day in the land of the living."

"What happened to Ramses?" Akefia queried, still mostly void of emotion but tension now clear in his body language. "I know nothing about him, yet he was mine. I should know about what happened to him."

"You never passed on, Akefia," Nefertari reminded him, tears almost leaking from her eyes. "You could never watch the world like I did. Your soul was broken. You weren't who you once were." The blue-haired woman bit her lip to remain calm. "If you had come to the afterlife after your death, you would've seen him. Together we could have watched him grow, but instead... I watched you die at the hands of the man who killed me, and I watched your baby son cry through the night as if he knew he had lost you."

Barely any emotion showed in his face, but Akefia definitely seemed to be thinking about something. He looked away from Nefertari shamefully. "I do recall hearing a voice all those years ago," he admitted. "It was a voice belonging to a boy who was becoming a man. He had stolen the Millennium Ring and cried out to his father. At the time I thought he believed he could communicate with the dead using the ring, but I remember feeling as if I were being restrained. The boy even had the guts to wear the ring, but Zorc refused to let me see him and did not grant him any power. After that... everything became quiet."

Nefertari put a hand to her mouth as she let a few tears drip. She couldn't help it; she remembered seeing Ramses that day with the ring in his hands, but that day was not a pleasant day to witness.

The queen chose to wipe away her tears moments after her crying tried to begin. "We must not focus on him," she stated. "Not now. Ramses is not here. All that remains of him in this false world is the fiend which controlled him and ruined his life, and I want to see that demon stopped."

Akefia's eyes almost widened. "Apophis?" he reacted, gritting his teeth. "Apophis was influencing our son throughout his life?"

"Please, Akefia, not now," Nefertari pleaded. Akefia slammed his hand against the table, rage suddenly evident in his gaze.

"Tell me what happened!" he snapped at her, causing the young woman to flinch. "For five thousand years I believed nobody with my blood remained after my own demise, but now I learn that a boy of my own lived as a slave to Apophis?!" The cloaked man grabbed Nefertari by her shoulders, which were bare due to her strapless dress so vulnerable to Akefia's nails, and he made sure her eyes were locked with his. "Why was this information kept from me for so long?! Why was there nothing left of him?!"

"Stop it!" Nefertari howled, shoving Akefia's hands away as she hid her face from him, sniffling and sobbing at last while shaking her head. Akefia stared at her, his anger slowly subsiding. The pain in her voice could be heard, but he could not understand it, not because he was a stranger to loss and agony, but because he was feeling a different pain entirely at this moment. Nefertari had watched Ramses grow until what was presumably his death, while Akefia didn't even know what he looked like. All he knew was that Ramses had his white fluffy hair, and likely kept it as he grew older. But Akefia wanted to know where he was. Why wasn't he here, with everyone else?

Akefia turned his head, his expression once again blank as he faced away. "My son was alive when I was," he recalled. "He was alive when I attacked the Pharaoh's kingdom, and I had no knowledge of his existence. I could have been responsible for his death. Not only that, but he was the one who called out to me when my spirit was within the Millennium Ring. He knew where to find me. He knew who I was to him, but to me he was nothing but a stranger, and now I found out that Apophis influenced him." The man glanced at Nefertari. "You can't understand how it feels to look back to a time when you could have saved your child."

"No, Akefia!" Nefertari cried angrily. "You can't understand how it feels to watch your own son and his father die of unnatural causes! You don't know what it's like to wait in the afterlife, only to realise that you'll never reunite with them! Your soul was shattered and sealed into the Millennium Ring where you and Zorc created one of the most evil creatures I have ever encountered, and Ramses... Ramses' soul was destined to be devoured by the Chimeras! He never made it to the afterlife - not with that serpent wrapped around his heart!"

Akefia's eyes softened as he watched Nefertari weep into her hands. Truthfully, he could never understand how such an experience would feel. Nefertari was alone for over five thousand years, and she could only watch helplessly at the pain he and Ramses suffered. But his softness wasn't just out of sympathy for her; it was because of Ramses' fate. If a soul didn't make it to the afterlife, it had been caught by a Chimera during the journey. Evil almost never passed through, and someone harbouring the spirit of Apophis was destined to disappear forever.

He couldn't help but blame himself for all this. If he had just stayed in that village and helped defeat the Desert Children, he would have been able to save Nefertari from creating Akuma and Kiro and he would have been able to prevent Apophis' spirit from possessing Ramses. He could have been a father to him, but instead Ramses grew up with Akuto and eventually became an orphan - just like Akefia.

Akefia put one arm around Nefertari, pulling her close while trying his hardest to not show his own emotions. He then wrapped the second arm around her and embraced her tightly. "When this is over, I shall return with you," he swore. "But first, we must avenge Ramses. This puzzle will be complete once Apophis has been defeated."

Nefertari had her face buried in his chest as he clung to him tightly all of a sudden. "Don't ever leave me again," she begged him. "If I lose you another time, then I will personally feed my soul to the Chimeras."

"I'm not leaving you," Akefia promised. "This is not the world we once knew. We can be together."

Nefertari's head slowly lifted, her gaze still tearful but also thoughtful. She spotted Janeiro and Ryo sitting together on the floor, heads resting against each other's as they lay propped up against the wall with their eyes closed peacefully. The purple-eyed queen let herself smile sadly through her tears.

"You're right," she told Akefia. "When this is over, nobody will separate us. We will not be parted in death, and even in life I can see that our souls will always find each other."

The comment confused Akefia, but he turned his head to see what she was looking at. Ryo: his reincarnation. Janeiro: Nefertari's reincarnation. There they were, peacefully lying together and having a small rest before the fight. These were two people who lived thousands of years ahead of his own time, in an era where they lived lives that did not force them to stay apart.

"Our ending wasn't a happy one," Nefertari admitted. "Even after this, we will still remember our suffering. We will still be missing Ramses. But them... I believe that they will live the life we wished we had together. They will be our happy ending."

Akefia said nothing in response to her words, instead staring thoughtfully at the pair. In a way, he was jealous. He wanted to have the easy life. But at least in a different life he and Nefertari had it easy. Hopefully they would all get through this.

 _..._

 _Palace, Timeless_

Bakura grinned as he watched Apophis looking around at his Dark Sanctuary, doing his best to disguise his weariness. "I see you're impressed," he acknowledged. "Are you regretting challenging me, Apophis?"

The white-haired god turned to look at Bakura before bellowing out a loud laugh. "You think your little tricks can frighten me, do you?" he asked.

"This is far from a trick," Bakura grinned, forcing himself through his current physical weakness. "With Dark Sanctuary active, my spirits of the dark realm will protect me and weaken you!"

In response to his words, Apophis merely chuckled. "You naive fool," he mocked. "You destroyed your DiaDhank to unleash your Dark Sanctuary, which means you cannot summon anymore monsters to your side. You only have your Dark Necrofear, and I have my venomous reptiles!"

"Your reptiles will get lose in the darkness," Bakura retorted. "Even monsters are capable of succumbing to fear!"

"Not when they don't have anything to fear," Apophis countered.

"Enough of this!" Bakura exclaimed, pointing his finger towards the snake god. "Dark Necrofear, lay waste to the enemy! Doom Gaze!"

As Dark Necrofear went in for the direct attack, Apophis stood with a smirk on his face. "Fool," he hissed under his breath smugly. "Venom Cobra! Strike down your opponent using Venom Strike! Go!"

The white cobra suddenly reared up and lunged towards the fiend, sinking its teeth into the arm and eliminating the monster. Bakura only smirked. "It is you who is the fool, Apophis," he calmly said to his foe, turning his head to look at the large snake slithering through the darkness and awaiting orders. "When you destroy Dark Necrofear, I can take control of any of your monsters, and I choose that!"

The large snake was in fact Venom Boa, and it suddenly swung its head from side to side as it was overcome by a new force entering its body, hissing and spitting loudly. The giant reptile then slithered to Bakura's side, giving Apophis and his Venom Cobra a warning hiss.

Once again, Apophis only chuckled. "You're following the rules so closely, boy," he taunted. "Did you think this battle would be taken in turns?" The question caught Bakura off guard, and before he knew it he felt a biting sensation in his ankle. The white-haired teen grimaced and snarled in pain, looking down to see Apophis' Venom Snake digging its teeth into his flesh. Apophis laughed at the sight of his opponent in pain, calling his minion back to him.

"You stand no chance against me, incarnation of Zorc," he stated. "You are too used to calculations and strategy. You must learn to unleash your inner chaos!" Apophis' eyes flashed green and he was able to use his own powers to regain control over his Venom Boa, who wrapped itself around Bakura and trapped him. Bakura snarled up at the creature, then letting himself grin.

"I have my own abilities to take down your beasts," he confirmed, using both of his hands to form a ball of dark energy. It was clear that he was still too weak to perform such a task, but there was no other way out of this. He fired the ball of darkness into the side of Venom Boa's face, distracting the creature so that it loosened its grip. In this short space of time, Bakura slipped free but collapsed to the ground.

"Ha!" Apophis laughed. "Pathetic! I haven't used a fraction of my power against you, yet you, the remaining portion of Zorc's soul, are already on the floor!"

Bakura narrowed his brown eyes, frowning hatefully at the humanoid god. He did not plan to go down like this, so forced himself to stagger back up onto his feet. "I will never..." he rasped, "never fall at your hands..."

Apophis raised his hands and waved at him sarcastically. "My hands are here," he pointed out before grinning, flicking his tongue like a starved snake. "The fangs of my reptiles should do the trick, however!"

As Apophis bellowed out a loud laughter, Venom Serpent used its too heads to bite both of Bakura's arms while Venom Cobra struck his uninjured leg. Bakura couldn't help but let out a yell of pain, mixed with a yell of pure anger and hatred, but suddenly there were knives raining down on the creatures, wounding them and forcing them to back off. The evil spirit, baffled, turned his head to see where the knives came from. Floating in the air was the Dark Magician. Not Mahad's, but the Red Dark Magician.

Bakura looked back at Apophis, seeing that he also looked confused and also irritated. "What?!" the Forbidden God snapped, looking around to see who had summoned the creature. Then the individual made themselves known, limping weakly into view. Bakura's eyes widened.

"Rena..." he muttered to himself. He had assumed that she had been reduced to nothing after Apophis was summoned.

The blue-haired woman, no longer in her Egyptian attire but instead once again in a black trench coat covering her modern clothes, stumbled closer to the action, her dark-rimmed eyes glaring at Apophis. Apophis could only frown and shake his head.

"Ah, I should've expected the leftovers of your existence would still remain in that body," the god commented. "Without me, you do not have my motivation or my power. No; you are just the hatred of the Queen of Outcasts. You're the empty portion of that modern girl's soul. You are the shadow of Bakura, which means you are no longer a pawn of mine."

Rena stood between the two white-haired males, her back to Bakura as she remained focused on Apophis. "You do not get to plunge this world into chaos," she declared. "Dark Magician, blast him with Dark Magic Attack!"

The red magician grinned with evil glee, pointing his sceptre at Apophis and unleashing a blast of energy. However, Apophis simply had to click his fingers to send the attack back at Rena's Ka. "No!" Rena wailed, her purple eyes wide as she realised what situation she was in. As the red magician was launched back, he hit a pillar and disintegrated. Rena clutched her chest and fell to her knees, looking at the DiaDhank upon her wrist. Her Ba was incredibly low.

"Foolish creature," Apophis spat, walking towards her. "You're going to die here, and your actions will mean nothing."

Rena grit her teeth before sharply turning her head, looking back at Bakura. "Go!" she yelled at him. "You're a moron if you believe you can destroy Apophis alone! He's a god; you are merely a fragment of a powerful beast, Bakura!"

Apophis kicked her onto her back, pressing his foot down hard onto her chest. Rena clutched his ankle and clawed at it, but she had no strength left. Meanwhile, Bakura only stared with wide eyes, unbeknownst to himself. Rena had been his rival ever since he left Janeiro's body. She was a rogue part of his soul, influenced by aspects of both Janeiro and Apophis, yet now here she was, attempting to aid him. How pathetic of her.

Yet... he didn't feel amused at the sight.

"GO!" Rena yelled again. "Do what you normally do, Bakura! Stand back and let others do the dirty work for you! Let the others deal with Apophis!" She let out another shriek of agony as Apophis pressed his foot harder against her, his reptilian eyes glowing brightly. But his attention was then on Bakura, and he let himself smirk.

"Why don't you run along now, Bakura?" he asked him, reaching down and grabbing Rena by her neck, lifting her into the air with a firm grasp. "Do as she says. You'll be able to live for a while longer. You can watch your enemies fall before I finish you off myself!" Bakura only stared at Apophis with a weak frown, but Apophis only grinned and flicked his tongue again. "You don't want to die," he acknowledged, squeezing Rena's throat, "but something tells me that you don't want to leave her behind. Don't tell me that you care about her!"

"I care for no one..." Bakura hissed. He convinced himself that he was being sincere, but his mind believed otherwise. Having lived with Akefia's soul inside him, he couldn't help but be swayed and manipulated by the human's memories. Not only that, but Ryo's memories also affected him. At one point he even considered Yugi and the others as friends, but quickly he reminded himself of his goal. But both Janeiro and Nefertari had never been major obstacles. Nefertari brought happiness to Akefia when he thought he could never feel such emotions, even during his pure influence under Zorc, and Janeiro was Ryo's oldest friend who knew all of his dark secrets. Both individuals came from the same soul, and even if in the past both Zorc and Bakura had seen the two as irritating setbacks, they had in fact been helpful. Nefertari was willing to stand back to let Akefia get his revenge on Egypt, and she even kept his own child away from him to keep his hatred and passion for revenge alive. As for Janeiro, her coma is what caused Ryo to become more submissive to the Millennium Ring and prompted him to keep distant from other potential setbacks. She also was the reason Bakura was still alive, as he had fused a part of his soul with hers which then brought him back to life after his supposed death.

Without realising it, Bakura's expression had become soft. Apophis noticed this as he turned the choking Rena around, letting her gaze upon Bakura's face as he lost himself in his own mind. "So you do care for this amalgamation," the god of chaos smirked. "I always knew you were soft."

Suddenly, Bakura started to chuckle under his breath before erupting into a fit of loud laughter. "I care for no one!" he repeated confidently, then grinning at his enemy. But his grin almost seemed sad, and his eyes shared that emotion. "I am just cursed with a soul that will never stop loving hers." His statement caught both Apophis and Rena off-guard, but Rena was the one who became concerned.

"Bakura...!" she choked, sounding weak but full of anger and frustration. Bakura's sad grin widened, morphing into a more terrifying expression of insanity and evil.

"I do not want to care for that woman," he assured as his neck and chest started to glow with a golden light. "I only wish to care for myself. But perhaps having the soul of that thief has strengthened me."

In a flash of bright yellow light, the Millennium Ring was suddenly around his neck, and the spirits of his Dark Sanctuary made glided around the area, their eyes on the wounded snakes. They had the power to possess them and turn them against their master.

The ring was still glowing brightly, and Bakura let out an evil chuckle as one spirit took control of the Venom Cobra, bringing it to Bakura's side. Another spirit possessed the Venom Boa, which hissed and slithered towards Apophis with its mouth wide open. Apophis teleported out of the way swiftly, but had dropped Rena in order to use the power. Venom Boa then positioned itself as if it were a protective wall, shielding Rena while keeping its eyes on Apophis. Bakura grinned at the sight as the remaining snakes were possessed, and any lingering spirits circled the area as an act of intimidation.

"My power comes from hatred and darkness," he reminded the other entity with a proud grin. "Dark Sanctuary is strengthening my body while also strengthening my spirits. But I also fight with passion and determination, so if my soul is determined to protect Rena from you, then I will let that determination guide me. After all, it will ultimately bring about your demise, Apophis."

Apophis narrowed his bright green eyes as he faced his own beasts siding with Bakura. "Very well," he murmured, raising his hands in a challenging manner. "Let's see how far your determination takes you in my world, Bakura!"

 **~End of Chapter~**


	40. Chapter XL

**~Chapter XL~**

"Think it's been enough time yet?" Riko asked, poking her head out of the window to see if any of the Desert Children were nearby. She saw none, and none of her allies were present, either.

"I would say so," Atem answered, also choosing to look outside. "The Desert Children are far away and are no doubt occupied. Now is a good time for us to go after Apophis."

Sakura joined the pair, looking towards the distant palace. "It looks like there is some sort of battle going on," she noticed. Atem raised a brow.

"How odd," he responded. "Who could be attacking him?"

"You don't suppose it's Mahad and Mana, do you?" asked Tauren.

"They wouldn't be so foolish," Atem assured.

"You say that, but Mahad went after the Thief King alone all those years ago even when Isis predicted his fate."

"Hello?" Akefia shouted over to them, his tone sarcastic. "Do you mind talking about me as if I am actually here?"

"You have nothing to complain about, you won that battle," Atem muttered somewhat hatefully, arms folded as he refused to give Akefia eye-contact, instead choosing to keep his gaze locked onto the palace outside. Akefia frowned at the response.

"My queen," Tauren addressed Nefertari, "do you have any thoughts on this?"

"Hm?" Nefertari replied as though she hadn't been listening. "Thoughts on what?"

"You know Mahad," Tauren pointed out. "Do you think he would attack Apophis alone?"

There was a pause before Nefertari gave her response. "I wouldn't know," she admitted. "Mahad has always been difficult to understand. He's both soft and ruthless, caring and violent. He does what he thinks is right, whether the reasons are easy to understand or not. So he could very well be the one fighting Apophis as we speak."

"If he's there then I'll make no attempts to avoid striking him with an attack," Akefia stated.

"We're going to need all the help we can get," Akuto reminded him, taking a sip from a cup of wine. "Better accept that soon, Keffy, or else you'll be the one being hit from all angles."

"Is that a threat?" Akefia snarled through clenched teeth.

"Boys, not now," Nefertari said to the pair.

"We should get moving," Atem announced, glancing down at Ryo and Janeiro, who were both still asleep together. Riko followed his gaze and walked over, using her foot to nudge Ryo aggressively.

"Wakey, wakey, snowflake," she spoke loudly, watching as Ryo quickly returned to consciousness, followed by Janeiro.

"What's going on?" he asked, glancing around in confusion.

"We're off," Riko told him.

"To fight Apophis?" Ryo queried with wide eyes.

"No, to have a picnic with him," Riko huffed sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "What do you think we're doing?"

"Riko, remember who your enemies are," Sakura said to her. "We're trying to destroy Apophis, not Ryo."

"Speak for yourself," Riko murmured, folding her arms. Nobody took her comment seriously. None of her comments were ever actually taken seriously, for that matter.

Ryo got up to his feet, pulling Janeiro up with him. "Alright, then let's get right to it," he replied.

"Yes," Janeiro nodded in agreement with him. "Let's defeat Apophis and end this once and for all - then we can all finally go back to living normal lives."

"Speak for yourself," Akuto murmured, taking another swig of his wine. His repetition of Riko's words actually got her attention and she even seemed somewhat flattered to be quoted. "Some of us have some being dead to do."

"Right..." Janeiro reacted quietly.

"Don't scare the poor child, Akuto," Nefertari commanded.

"I wasn't scaring her, I was just correcting her," Akuto shrugged, standing up and placing down his empty cup as he wiped his mouth with his hand. "Shall we go then?"

"It's better not to waste anymore time," spoke Tauren. "Whoever is fighting Apophis right now needs our help, and we could probably use theirs. We should get there before it's too late."

"I couldn't agree more, Tauren," Atem agreed.

"Then let's get going," Akefia growled, pushing past the others to leave first. Nefertari hurried after him, and everyone else followed in her steps.

 _..._

Venom Cobra lunged at Apophis, only for the white-haired god to swiftly move out of the way. The man grinned and clicked his fingers on both hands. "Kiro! Akuma! Come to my aid!" he ordered. Almost out of nowhere, the mindless bodies of Kiro and Akuma flew into the palace, still attached to their chains which controlled their souls. Bakura frowned at this, pointing a finger at Venom Serpent.

"Venom Serpent, make yourself useful!" he snapped. "Go and occupy your former master for me!" The green snake with two heads slithered towards Apophis, only to be destroyed by a bolt of green lightning which came from Kiro's sceptre. Bakura only glared, his gaze becoming even more hateful when he heard Apophis laughing.

"You'll never defeat me!" the Forbidden God cackled.

"You are severely underestimating my abilities," Bakura grumbled. "Venom Cobra! Attack Apophis! Venom Boa, strike down those flying amalgamations!"

While Venom Cobra reared up at Apophis, swaying in a way any cobra would as a defense mechanism, Venom Boa glided away from Rena and hissed loudly at both Akuma and Kiro, who in response did not react at all. While the two mindless girls were distracted, Bakura glanced back at Rena when catching a glimpse of her staggering back up to her feet.

"You shouldn't be moving," he snapped at her irritably. "Look at how weak you are."

"Shut up," Rena snarled at him, limping to his side while keeping her eyes on Apophis. "I told you that it's impossible to beat him alone."

"Tch, your feeble body will only hinder me," Bakura spat, swishing his hand to the side as a silent command to Venom Cobra, who went to bite Apophis only to be avoided.

"Quit complaining about me and focus on him," Rena growled. "I'll do my best to distract the two losers." The blue-haired female held up her arm, which had a DiaDhank attached to it, but Bakura could see that she did not have the strength to summon a beast. Not yet. So he looked to the Millennium Ring around his neck thoughtfully before deciding to remove it.

"Here," he growled at her. "I was going to use it myself, but seeing that you're so pathetic I have no choice but to give it to you."

Slowly, Rena took the ring from Bakura and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you giving me this?" she asked him, almost as if cautious of the object.

"Because you will make a fool of yourself otherwise," Bakura stated. "Once you've regained some strength I would like to have that back; it took a lot of energy to summon it here, you know."

Rena rolled her eyes, putting the ring around her neck. "Fight me for it, fluffy," she retorted. Bakura shot a glance at her, only to suddenly have Apophis appear before him and strike him across the face with his fist.

"That's enough talking, Bakura!" he taunted. "Now come on and fight me!"

Bakura grit his teeth, wiping the blood from his lips before grinning widely. "Pain motivates me to fight," he hissed, grabbing Apophis by his ears and bashing his head against his. The two began to combat one another with their fists more than anything, although Apophis had the advantage to teleport away from Bakura's attacks while also using the ability to confuse him. Bakura decided to use his ability to launch dark energy, but still Apophis was able to dodge and deflect. It really was not looking good for Bakura at all - he had finally met his match.

As for Rena, her purple eyes glowed a neon blue colour as the Millennium Ring powered her body, giving her the strength she needed. The emotionless Kiro swooped down and attempted to strike the girl with her sceptre, but Rena's reflexes were quicker than before. She dashed to the side, jumping onto Kiro's back as she flew past. Akuma swooped down and attempted to strike Rena in the back with her scythe, but again Rena predicted the move. She jumped from Kiro's back, causing Akuma to strike her own sister-figure. The power of Akuma's scythe weakened Kiro despite the fact that Kiro no longer had a soul to be absorbed. Both girls were nothing but puppets on Apophis' strings - or, in this case, chains.

Bakura caught sight of Rena's swift recovery, and in response he frowned at her. "Rena!" he called out, extending his arm towards her. "Hand me the Millennium Ring! It has powered you enough."

For a moment Rena stared at him, thinking that maybe she should just leave him to struggle against Apophis, but she couldn't bring herself to do such a thing. She was strong enough to bring out a monster now, so she removed the ring from her neck and ran towards Bakura, intending to pass the item to him. However, both she and Bakura noticed as Apophis flicked his hand in her direction, with a chain shooting towards her. Rena was well aware of what this chain was, and, knowing that she would most likely be unable to dodge in time, she chose to throw the ring to Bakura from her current position, and as the object left her grasp, the chain went into her back and attached itself to her remaining soul. Bakura caught the ring, but his eyes went wide without him even realising it. He could only stare as Rena stood like a doll, her head hanging creepily as she gazed at him with an empty expression.

Apophis giggled and took a step back, watching the internal struggle going on in Bakura's mind. "You said it motivates your spirit to protect her," he recalled. "You said you would protect her just because your soul's passion gave you strength. Well, now she is going to kill you. How does your spirit feel now, Bakura?"

Torn. Hesitant. Confused. That's how his spirit felt.

All of the monsters under his control were still, giving Apophis the opportunity to destroy them, much to his own annoyance. Bakura genuinely did not know what to do, and even stood still as Rena dashed forwards and brought her knee to his stomach, sending him flying back into one of the pillars within the palace. Apophis laughed loudly at the sight.

"You can't kill her, can you?!" he mocked. "Oh, how adorable! Your soul cares too much for her!"

Bakura was able to get back onto his feet, and as Rena made an attempt to kick him in the side he managed to catch her by the ankle swiftly, throwing her to the floor. "I am not hesitant," he snarled. "You're a fool for thinking I would hesitate over some embodiment of various souls."

"She's the Nefertari to your Akefia," Apophis grinned before sniggering. "Oh, how wonderful is this? The true nightmares of the Nightmare Game shall begin!"

Despire Kiro's injury, the two other spirits were still able to fly down to Rena's side. Bakura frowned and glowered at Apophis hatefully. "You think you can frighten the darkness itself?" he asked. "I fear nothing."

"You fear that which is more terrifying than the darkness itself," Apophis corrected. "Chaos. Destruction. Evil. Everything that I am."

"Tch, I'd never fear you," Bakura countered, only to feel Rena's hand gripping his throat firmly. The ring really did give her too much strength - she was able to lift him from the ground with one hand while making it difficult for him to breathe.

"You hate being in pain," Apophis continued. As he finished saying that, Kiro struck him with a bolt of green lightning which coursed throughout his body, electrocuting him continuously. At this, Bakura couldn't help but scream. It only worsened when Akuma drove her scythe into his back, and he felt his own soul being slowly absorbed from his body. "You fear losing your soul for good," Apophis finalised with a wide smile. "You're afraid of disappearing forever."

Bakura couldn't even hear Apophis over his own yelling, and all the while he was staring hatefully into Rena's eyes. Was he really going to end here? In the hands of someone as inferior as Rena while Apophis watched and laughed?

 _..._

"Come on, we must hurry!" Ryo called back to the others as he ran for the palace, with Tauren being the one to keep his eyes peeled for any of the Desert Children. They were only spotted in the distance, and it was good to see that none of the allies were severely injured. Tauren almost stopped running when he spotted the battle between Sabu and Kekku; even from this distance Kekku seemed hesitant. He had killed his own brother once - he didn't want to do it again.

"Keep moving, bright-eyes," Akuto instructed Tauren casually, thumping him on the shoulder as he ran by. Tauren returned his focus to the objective and continued to run with the others towards the palace.

Akefia sprinted ahead of Ryo, with Nefertari trying her hardest to keep up with him. Unfortunately he had a stronger build than her, so catching up was going to be impossible.

"We're almost there," the thief muttered mainly to himself. "We can catch him off his guard while he's occupied with his other opponent."

"Good idea," Nefertari nodded, panting heavily. She really was struggling to keep up, and her dress wasn't doing her any favours.

As they ran, however, they were suddenly stopped by an all-too-familiar blast of energy which struck the ground before them. A Dark Magic Attack. Akefia immediately put his arm out to protect Nefertari and keep her behind him. He knew exactly who was here.

Mahad.

Mahad and Mana both appeared before the group, with Mahad and Akefia locking eyes while Tauren and Mana stared at one another intensely.

"Why is it that I always find you where the trouble is?" Mahad questioned Akefia.

"I could ask you the same thing, spellcaster," Akefia spat.

"You two, we really don't have time for this," Nefertari spoke up, trying to step in to separate the two. She then focused her gaze on Mahad. "Wait... You two are both here. That means you really aren't fighting Apophis alone."

"I wouldn't be so foolish," Mahad replied to her. "Apophis is a dangerous god, Nefertari. You of all people should know that."

"Of course I do," Nefertari huffed irritably. "Now, could you move out of our way? Or do you want Apophis to completely destroy the world as we know it?"

"You're going to need all the help you can get," Mahad announced. "Mana and I..." he almost seemed ashamed to say it, "want to fight by your side."

Nefertari was overwhelmed with confusion and surprise, but after a few seconds she heard Akefia bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Like your help would change anything!" he mocked. "You're an easy opponent to defeat, spellcaster! Take that from a man who turned your own traps against you!"

"Forgive him," came Atem's voice as he stepped forward calmly, his presence shocking his two thousand-year-old friends. "He has trouble working with others." The former pharaoh smiled kindly. "Your help will be greatly appreciated."

"Pharaoh...?" Mahad gasped with wide eyes.

"Prince!" Mana laughed gleefully, leaping onto Atem and holding onto him tightly. "Oh, Prince! We thought we'd never find you here!"

"It's okay," Atem assured her, patting her back. "I am here, Mana. And together, we can stop Apophis and return to the afterlife where our other friends are waiting." His purple eyes went to Mahad. "It's good to see you, Mahad. We truly will appreciate your help." Mahad simply nodded his head, still speechless. He was just so relieved to have finally found Atem in this chaos.

The moment was ruined by Akefia, who clapped his hands slowly and sarcastically. "We don't have time for reunions, Pharaoh," he interrupted rudely. "Care to get moving?"

Atem glanced back at Akefia with a slight frown, but he knew he had a point. "We should keep moving," he told Mahad and Mana. "Come; we have a Forbidden God to destroy."

As he and Mana began walking, Mahad stood silent for a moment in thought. He simply gave Nefertari a glance as she walked past him, and she returned the look, but when Akefia walked by he decided to stop for a moment.

"Do not assume we are allies," he warned the former High Priest. "If I see you even glare at Nefertari during this battle, I will kill you." And with that said, he continued on with his walk to the dangerously close palace. Mahad did not even respond; he knew that Akefia had every right to despise him, but at the same time he had his own reasons for hating the man in return.

 _..._

 _A Shattered Soul_

How he had gone from being conscious to unconscious was unknown, but Bakura found himself floating in a void even darker than the Shadow Realm itself. Was this it? Was he finally dead?

Before him was nothing, but when he turned around he found himself staring into the eyes of the Thief King. Akefia. He frowned and took a step back, but Akefia did not even move.

Still wary of Akefia, Bakura turned and tried to walk in the opposite direction, only to face Ryo Bakura. He now stood between two of his hosts, when he then heard a low growling sound. Just behind Ryo were the glowing red eyes of Zorc, his true form before his soul was shattered and merged with the thief's.

"What is this?" he asked, hoping Apophis could hear. "Another part of your game?"

"Perhaps," Apophis' voice echoed through the void. "But these are not illusions created by me. This is just your soul. These individuals are all part of you."

He knew that already, but he never truly understood just how much he was alike to some of these individuals. He had always seen himself as Zorc, with Akefia and Ryo merely being vessels, but perhaps he had fooled himself. Perhaps he was more like them than he thought he was.

Bakura cautiously stepped back away from the trio, only to feel his back hit something. Someone. Turning around, he saw that Rena was standing before him. He expected to at least see Janeiro as well, since part of his soul did reside within her for three years, but Janeiro never appeared. Everything that was ever a part of Janeiro had created Rena, and Rena herself was originally just the Bakura-possessed Janeiro.

It all seemed so complicated and confusing, but that was just how it was for people like him and Rena. Their souls never had one particular source. They were both mixtures of different beings.

"Why am I here?" Bakura asked, lowering his head. "Is this what death looks like for someone like me?"

"You tell me," Apophis responded smugly. "You're the one who is dying."

Bakura frowned. "No," he murmured. "I will never die."

"That's not what it looks like to me," Apophis chuckled. "I'm seeing your body slowly losing its soul. I suppose everything you are looking at will soon vanish once the process has been complete."

Bakura closed his eyes and stood thoughtfully, clenching his fists as frustration coursed through him. He was able to relax, however, because he knew that if anything happened to him, then he could just take over Rena's body. She still carried a large portion of his soul after, all.

The white-haired spirit looked at all of the faces in the void with him. They were all him. They all made him. Reaching his hand out, Bakura wanted to see what would happen if he touched Akefia, only to be painfully repelled with a sudden flash of Kul Elna memories running through his mind.

Fear. He felt fear.

His body was trembling and his eyes were wide as he fell to his knees, staring at his shaking hands. "What is this feeling?" he asked himself. "Fear? Of that thief's pathetic memories? How could that be so?!"

"Because you are the thief, Bakura," Apophis told him. "You are the thief. You are everyone you are seeing. Now cave in. Let your inner fears consume you!"

 _"DIABOUND!"_ screamed the voice of Akefia, causing Bakura to swiftly stare in the Thief King's direction. He was still frozen in place, which caused Bakura to become confused. _"HELICAL SHOCKWAVE!"_

Was this him being consumed by his inner fears?

...No.

He suddenly found himself awakening, having been dropped by the three girls. He turned his head to Apophis and saw that the humanoid god was on the ground, as if he had been struck by something.

That's when Akefia marched into the palace with his small army.

The real fight was just about to begin.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	41. Chapter XLI

**~Chapter XLI~**

Apophis slowly arose to his feet, locking his snake eyes onto Akefia with a hateful gaze. "Did my children honestly fail to hold you off?" he asked.

"Unfortunately your "children" are easily distracted," Akefia answered. "It seems as though they fall for bait like gullible little fish."

"Tch," Apophis grunted. "I can deal with you all myself." His response caused Akefia to laugh darkly.

"You actually believe you can defeat all of us?" he asked with a dark grin. "You clearly have never seen our power, and if I do recall I myself was once considered a threat to you."

"You were a threat to my children because of your connection to Zorc," Apophis corrected. "Now you are nothing, thief. You are just a man who lived a sad life, and after death you were forgotten for thousands of years."

Diabound lowered himself to Akefia's side, his eyes locked onto Apophis as Akefia delivered his response. "You think I am just a man, do you?" he queried. "How many men have an impressive Ka such as Diabound?"

"Why are we wasting our time talking to this monster?" Tauren asked.

"I agree with bright-eyes," Akuto piped up, stepping forward while holding his two daggers. "Let's bury this venomous snake back in the sand where he belongs."

A dark smile crossed Apophis' lips when he saw Akuto, and the smile shifted into a toothy grin. "I remember you," he mused. "Akkie."

Akuto narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth, his grip around his daggers tightening as he tensed up. "You have no right to call me by that name," he growled lowly.

"Do I not?" Apophis smirked. "You raised me just as much as you raised Ramses. Don't disown me now, Akkie."

"I said don't call me that!" Akuto snapped.

"He's playing with your emotions," Mahad announced. "Do not let him get to you."

"Who is this?" Apophis reacted upon hearing Mahad speak. "You seem familiar... Oh, wait! I know who you are. You're the priest who killed Ramses' parents here. How is it that now you are allies?"

"We're not allies," Akefia interrupted. "Now, enough of the talking. This ends here."

"Tch," Apophis responded, rolling his eyes. "You think because you outnumber me then you can overpower and defeat me? Here, in my own world? You're all forgetting that I have the power to control YOUR magic, and I can control more than just petty little snakes and soulless women." With a snap of his fingers, a dark aura began to surround Apophis as the surrounding world grew even darker. Tauren was the one to immediately rush forward, waving his wand to summon his own bright aura to combat his foe's. But, as Apophis had previously stated, he simply stared at Tauren and flashed his lime green eyes, turning the golden aura of the spellcaster's into a dark black shadow which wrapped around the teal-haired man's. Tauren then began to suffer at the hands of his own spell, suffocating and gasping for air as he stumbled to the floor.

"Tauren!" Mana gasped, her eyes wide. Not taking the warning, she raised her own awnd to strike Apophis down with a spell, but the humanoid god flashed his eyes once again to launch the girl back until she crashed into a wall.

"Magic is useless," Atem commented. "Our only option is to summon our Ka. Everyone, use your thoughts to summon a DiaDhank and then call your Ka from within. He should not be able to take control of our monsters."

"Wouldn't count on it, he's grinning like a maniac," Riko pointed out, gesturing the the grinning Apophis.

"I wouldn't speak so confidently about using Ka if I were you, Pharaoh," Akefia said as he stepped forward, eyes locked onto Apophis as his Diabound floated at his side, awaiting command. "I doubt anything among us is stronger than my Diabound."

"Now is not the time to be competitive, Bakura," Atem told him, restraining his frustrations to focus all of his negative feelings on Apophis.

"That's not my name," Akefia hissed through his teeth.

"Guys, look out!" Nefertari called, rushing forward with her spear and using it to fend off Rena.

"Hey, Janeiro, isn't that the darker version of you?" Sakura asked her friend. Janeiro was only staring with wide eyes.

"Yes..." she answered quietly. "The one who brought us here..."

"I thought she would've vanished after Apophis was summoned," Sakura commented thoughtfully.

"As did I..." Janeiro agreed, still quiet as she watched Rena and Nefertari's battle. "But... part of her soul is also Bakura's and my own, and Nefertari's, too... She is beginning to disintegrate..."

"Let's hope your ancestor can keep her occupied," Sakura murmured, then looking towards Akuma and Kiro. "Speaking of ancestors, isn't it nice for me to finally meet my own? And Riko, too?"

"They weren't always like that," came Ryo's voice. "They were once good people. An accident is what caused them to corrupt."

"Please tell me that they were better looking before corruption," Riko piped up. "Kiro is one ugly gal."

Akuma, still chained by Apophis, dived down and grasped Sakura by her shoulders, lifting her into the air.

"Sakura!" Riko called, holding out her arm which now had a DiaDhank on it. "Damn... Ka! Whatever you may be! Come out an assist me!"

"That's not how you summon your Ka," came Mahad's voice. "Observe." The former High Priest held out his wrist and his DiaDhank began to glow brightly. "Illusion Magician! Come forth!"

It had been a long time since he had summoned his old Ka, since he had fused with it many years ago, but in this false world it was possible for his Illusion Magician, in its original form, to come to his aid. Riko stared at the creature for a few seconds before rolling her eyes.

"Pfft, you already know what your Ka is," she huffed. "I don't know what my Ka is at all."

"Then find it within yourself," Mahad responded. This only made Riko want to laugh.

"I am so done of this spiritual garbage already," she muttered to herself.

"Harpie Girl!" Sakura suddenly called out, catching Riko by surprise. Suddenly attacking Akuma was a blonde winged girl, much like the beast which once served Akuma only it appeared to be pure and innocent, not at all tainted by pain and anger. It managed to catch Sakura as she fell from her ancestor's grasp, helping her to land safely before floating protectively in front of her.

"That's so unfair," Riko grumbled.

"Are you done?" Apophis asked, exaggerating a yawn. "I don't feel like standing here all day. There a timelines to be destroyed, you know, and worlds which must end in chaos."

"You're not getting your way," Akuto spat, holding his two daggers. He still intended to fight with physical force. "You've spent too long getting what you want."

"Have I?" Apophis replied, his tone now vicious. "I wouldn't call thousands of years of suffering something I wanted."

"You were the reason El-Isfet fell!" Akuto roared suddenly, running forwards.

"Akuto, don't!" Nefertari called out while keeping Rena at bay, but the bandit didn't listen to her. His hatred for Apophis controlled him; he was the one who had to watch this beast grow after the deaths of both Akefia and Nefertari.

The black-haired man jumped and grabbed Apophis before he had the chance to teleport away, though it seemed as if the Forbidden God was welcoming the adversity. "You and your children destroyed that village," Akuto hissed with venom on his tongue. "You're the reason a child had to grow up without his parents!"

"Oh, please, he had you," Apophis retorted, rolling his eyes but smirking smugly. "Now you, on the other hand, died without my influence. What do you have to say about that?"

"You corrupted that boy!" Akuto hollered, holding both daggers to Apophis' neck. "You made his life painful!"

"I don't recall him ever complaining about me," Apophis corrected. "I think he welcomed by company."

"I watched him grow!" Akuto snapped, pressing his daggers into Apophis' throat. This was the moment when the god teleported out of his grasp, standing behind Akuto. He used his feet to press him hard against the ground.

"You let him watch you die," he grimly reminded the bandit. "You were all he had, and then he watched you die."

"KEEP THAT VENOMOUS MOUTH OF YOURS SHUT!" Akuto howled, rolling free from Apophis' hold.

"Akuto, you can't let him get to you!" Nefertari cried, holding up her wrist. However, Rena was still fighting back against her, using the movement as an opportunity to draw out some throwing knives presumably by using Apophis' power. The evil spirit threw one knife towards Nefertari, but the blue-haired queen was just able to dodge."Curses... Akefia, hold him off with your Diabound while I try to summon Vennominaga!" Nefertari commanded. The thief, hearing the queen's words, nodded his head.

"Diabound!" he yelled. "Attack with Helical Shockwave!"

"Dark Magic Attack!" was the yell from Mahad which interrupted Akefia, blasting Apophis back only by a few feet. Akefia shot a deadly glare in the priest's direction, only to be met with his calm expression. "Your Diabound's attack would have consumed your ally, as well," Mahad informed. "Not that you have the heart to think of others."

"Tch," Akefia hissed, turning his head away to show that he wasn't listening to Mahad's words. Mahad only shook his head in response.

While Apophis was being challenged by both Akefia and Mahad, Ryo ran over to Atem. "Pharaoh, is there anything we can do?!" he asked.

"You and your friend should be able to summon your Ka," Atem replied, keeping his eyes on Apophis to make sure he didn't suddenly move in their direction. "I see that Akuma's descendant already has."

"Isn't there something you can do?" Ryo queried curiously. Atem solemnly shook his head.

"Apophis has prevented me from summoning any of the Egyptian Gods," he revealed, "and Mahad became my Ka during my brief reign. I am unable to summon anything."

"You can't summon anything at all?" Ryo questioned, his eyes wide.

"I'm afraid not," Atem admitted, eyes still on Apophis, "but I might be able to summon my Millennium Puzzle. If I can do that, I can trap Apophis and scatter his spirit across the timelines, making it impossible for him to become whole again."

The idea sounded perfect, but Ryo immediately felt a worrying feeling in his stomach. He looked towards Apophis, who appeared to be simply toying with Akefia, Mahad and Akuto. Something was bothering him.

"Pharaoh," the teen began. "If this truly is a reality created by Apophis, why does he look so... human?"

"Perhaps he saw Zorc's true form as a disadvantage and wanted to avoid making the same mistake," Atem guessed. "Unlike Zorc, he does not need to cause tragic damage here. All he needs to do is play with our minds until we all give up."

"Hm," Ryo reacted. He wasn't fully convinced.

"Darklord Ixchel, come forth!" Riko could be heard yelling as the female monster came to her side. "Ha! I did it! Take that, Sakura, you're not the only one who can do it!"

"Must you make this a competition?" Sakura sighed, jumping out of the way of a scythe attack from Akuma. Her Harpie Girl was managing to keep her at bay, but it wasn't strong enough to defeat Akuma alone.

"Yes," Riko answered confidently. "Alright, Darklord Ixchel! It's time to kick Kiro's butt and remind her that there is no better version of me in any timeline!"

Atem looked from Riko to Ryo as he spoke: "Do you have a Ka to summon?"

Ryo looked to Atem, still for a moment before shaking his head. "Any Ka of mine was stolen by the evil spirit of the ring," he answered.

"That cannot be true," Atem stated. "He has his own Ka."

"Even if I had a monster of my own, it wouldn't be strong enough to fight here," Ryo sighed quietly.

"You should learn to raise your confidence, Ryo," Atem said to him. "You're stronger than you believe."

As Ryo took in those words, he heard Nefertari shout loudly: "Vennominaga, the Deity of Poisonous Snakes, come to my-"

Her words were cut off.

Rena stood behind her with her emotionless gaze, a knife pressed into the queen's back.

Immediately upon hearing her gasp of sudden pain, Akefia turned around with irises smaller than ever and his teeth bared. Mahad showed similar concern.

Apophis could only laugh at the sight. "What a beautiful sight!" he mused. "The embodiment of her hatred, stabbing her in the back! Isn't fate wonderful?"

Akefia was about to run to her aid, but Illusion Magician prevented him. The man now looked fully ready to kill the High Priest, not caring if he destroyed his soul for good. Mahad had caused so much trouble, and even now, when Nefertari's life and soul was at risk, he was getting in the way.

"I'll help her," the High Priest suddenly said, though Akefia didn't seem to be listening at first - not until he heard more of Mahad's words. "Your Diabound is stronger than my Illusion Magician; you must hold Apophis off while I save Nefertari!"

For a moment Akefia wanted to pretend he hadn't heard any of that just to have an excuse to kill the man, but he realised that he was right. Diabound was a strong beast while Illusion Magician was better at protecting. The Magician could protect Mahad from Rena while he cared for Nefertari, and Diabound could push Apophis back and hopefully do some serious damage. So Akefia ran forwards, sicking his Diabound on the white-haired god. He made a mental note to eliminate Mahad if he failed to save Nefertari; he wasn't going to lose her because of that man again.

Illusion Magician blasted Rena back with a Dark Magic Attack, keeping her far enough while Mahad began using his magic to treat Nefertari's wound. The outcast queen wore an expression of confusion as she glanced back at Mahad, her breaths short. "Huh... What is this now...? You took my life once so you wanted to see how it felt to save it...?"

"You'll need to recover your strength so that you can summon Vennominaga," Mahad instructed, not responding to Nefertari's comment. Still, she pressed on.

"No, you're only saving it because you know you're going to need me in this fight..." she assumed. "Would you save it if we weren't battling Apophis...?"

"This is not the time," Mahad growled, trying to restrain his anger.

"Time doesn't exist here..." Nefertari corrected. "It doesn't matter... I already know how much you want to see me die..."

"Is that all you see me as?!" Mahad suddenly exclaimed with anger, catching Nefertari by surprise. "Do you only see me as your killer?! Is that how everyone sees me?!" The former High Priest took in a breath to calm himself slightly, but his rage was still there. "You must think of me as some jealous man turned bitter by your rejection... but do you really think I'm bitter enough to take joy in killing you? You weren't just the girl I was betrothed to in my youth, Neffy, you were my friend! A close one! We would play in Pharaoh Aknamkanon's courtyard almost every day. We shared food together. We would all even cause mischief in the palace. Do you think I threw all of that away?! Do you think I wanted to kill you?! I was doing everything I could to keep Seto away from your village, I never wanted anything bad to happen to you! And even if you did fall for a lowly Kul Elna thief, one who later came close to destroying the Pharaoh's kingdom, I still could not bring myself to hate you! You were one of the few friends I had growing up... and even when that day came, the day when we all took away your life, I held onto those memories of when we used to laugh together with Atem and Mana."

No words came from Nefertari. All she could do was stare up at Mahad as he briefly closed his eyes while healing her. His anger changed to become sadness, evident by the sudden solemn look on his face.

"I wore that Millennium Ring and always thought of you," he continued. "I didn't think about you as the woman who refused to be my wife, I thought about you as the woman who suffered and formed her own society. What you did was abnormal, but it was still admirable. Your village may have harboured criminals such as that thief and that bandit, and there may have been a few incidents where your citizens troubled us, but you weren't a threat. Your people clearly weren't completely full of evil, either; that bandit raised your son. And here we all are, working together to defeat the monster who caused you so much trouble."

Apophis laughed loudly as he blasted Akefia back, along with his Diabound. "How touching!" he mused. "I can hear the little conversation going on over there; keep going, little priest boy! Keep revealing your emotions! Reveal your weakness to me!"

"Mahad, do not let him reach your mind!" Atem warned.

"I've seen what Apophis can do," said Janeiro as she joined Ryo's side, her eyes wide. "He can create illusions and alter how people see the world. If he gets into our minds, he could kill us by frightening us to death!"

"Ah, so she gets it," Apophis nodded with a smirk. "You and your friend looked into Ramses' memories recently, did you not? You're smart, aren't you? Oh well; at least now someone gets it." His smirk became a grin as his glowing green eyes locked onto Ryo. "Should I do what Zorc used to do to you and remind you of your dead little sister?"

Ryo's eyes went wide. "No..." he begged. "I can't take much more of such a sight..."

"Good," Apophis replied, "because you're about to see something much worse." Ryo immediately turned around to look at Janeiro after seeing a sudden movement, and he found himself staring at the knife-wielding Rena.

"No, don't!" Ryo cried out, about to jump in the way. He wasn't only worried about Janeiro being hurt, but also about the fusion of both her soul and Rena's. What if Rena absorbed Janeiro for good?

But nothing happened to either of them. Instead Ryo saw a flash and heard a slight jingle, and when he next looked, he saw Bakura standing in front of him as a shield.

Neither Ryo or Janeiro could truly believe what they were seeing. There he was, Yami Bakura, standing before them both as a guardian. He had used his Millennium Ring to temporarily freeze Rena in place, and his expression was cold and vacant.

"You two are weak," the spirit hissed, not taking his eyes off Rena. "Stand down."

Janeiro looked like she was about to say something, but Ryo pulled her away. He didn't want to disobey Bakura when he easily had the power to turn around and kill the pair, and no doubt he would do such a thing if he saw it as necessary.

Once Ryo and Janeiro had backed off, Bakura's eyes began to glow blue, as did his hands. He grabbed onto the chain which controlled Rena, feeling as it attempted to absorb his consciousness, too. At first he was growling, then he was snarling, but suddenly he was yelling. Screaming. He was using all of his energy and the energy from his Millennium Ring to pull that chain from Rena.

And it worked.

Rena's eyes suddenly filled with personality as she took in a deep breath. falling forwards, but before she could hit the floor she was caught by the still-emotionless Bakura. She gasped and panted in his grasp, and after a few seconds she finally looked up at him. He did not return the gaze, instead locking eyes with Apophis.

"Well done," Apophis reacted, clapping his hands together slowly. "You wasted all of your strength to save that woman. Now what will you do, shadow of Zorc?"

No response came from Bakura, but what did come was one of Akuto's daggers which struck Apophis in the side. The human god growled, instantly ripping out the blade and glaring at the bandit. "I've had enough of you, Akkie," he mocked, beginning to walk closer.

Atem had his wide eyes on Bakura, his body becoming stiff. Yami Bakura was the embodiment of the darkness, but Atem was able to quickly remind himself that Apophis and Zorc were foes. For now, Bakura was not going to be a problem.

What the Pharaoh noticed immediately was the Millennium Ring. If Bakura could summon that, then surely he was able to summon the Millennium Puzzle. The young man chose to stand back in order to attempt calling it forth; if he could do that, then Apophis could be destroyed forever.

Akefia had felt the ring's presence and watched Bakura's actions before he decided to approach the spirit, not feeling at all threatened or afraid. Bakura gave him a deadly gaze as the cloaked thief approached him until the scar-faced male held out his hand.

"Give me the ring," he commanded. Bakura only narrowed his eyes.

"Why should I?" he shot back.

"Because you are weak now," Akefia pointed out. "Let me have it. I think I can finally put an end to Apophis."

Bakura didn't want to obey the man who was his slave thousands of years ago, but he knew he had a point. Akefia was one of the few people left to have enough strength to challenge Apophis. Not only that, but he knew that Akefia was capable of wearing the ring without burning out his soul. So, albeit with hesitation and frustration, Bakura removed the ring and handed it to the thief. "Finish him off," he ordered, "and make it an enjoyable show." Akefia nodded his head and snatched the ring, staring at it for a good few seconds. He had been parted from it for far too long. Slowly a grin was on his face as he placed the ring around his neck, chuckling quietly. He missed this feeling.

Everyone couldn't help but worry upon seeing Akefia with the ring, but his expression suddenly changed. He had started making his way towards Apophis, but when he was close enough he heard a voice.

 _"Father...? Please, can you hear me...? I know you're in there..."_

The same voice which called out to him all those years ago when he was trapped within the ring.

The stranger sight was when Akefia saw Apophis stop approaching Akuto, instead turning around to face the red-cloaked thief with a look of horror and anger as if he had also heard the voice. "No..." he hissed at Akefia, taking a few steps back. Akefia wore a glare and began walking towards the black-robed god. He was cowering. Why was he cowering?

That's when Akefia worked something out.

As he walked closer, the world began to go white around them. Existence started to fade. Apophis' appearance looked even more human than before, with his eyes being regular green human eyes and his fangs disappearing. He didn't appear to have a snake-like tongue, either, and any markings upon his face were gone. He just looked like a normal human.

"Stay back!" the god roared, calling forth a snake-like monster to his side in a desperate attempt to keep Akefia away. Akefia only stared blankly at this monster; this monster was the Embodiment of Apophis. It made a futile attempt to strike Akefia, but the ring was making him untouchable for unknown reasons. Unknown to many, but definitely known to Apophis.

Apophis' eyes went wide as he realised that he couldn't attack Akefia, so all he could do was try to keep him away as the world went completely white. It was just the pair of them now.

The snake god backed into a wall which could not be seen in this world of white, so now he was looking up at Akefia. Akefia hadn't really noticed his height before, but he definitely must have shrunk after his sudden transformation into this weaker human form.

Akefia stopped walking once he was practically toe-to-toe with Apophis, his dark eyes meeting Apophis' wide green ones. The god scowled and tried to grab Akefia's shoulders to push him away, but Akefia caught his wrists and still kept eye-contact.

"You're not who you say you are," the thief murmured quietly. Now Apophis looked full of concern, his eyes being wider than ever. Who knew that the god of chaos could feel fear? If he was the god of chaos at all.

Akefia held up the ring so that it was level with Apophis' eyes. Despite looking void of emotion as the Millennium Ring began to glow, Akefia looked even more hateful and bitter. Apophis couldn't take his eyes off the glowing ring, which was exactly what Akefia wanted. Then, when Apophis almost seemed to be entering a trance-like state, Akefia snarled through his clenched teeth:

"Give him back."

 **~End of Chapter~**


	42. Chapter ?

**~Chapter ?~**

 _The Capital, Egypt, over 5,000 years ago_

A five-year-old Ramses, son of Nefertari and Akefia, sprinted through the streets to escape some older boys who were trying to pelt him with rocks. "Little freak!" they were yelling at him, along with similar insults and threats.

Ramses ran into his small home which he shared with his guardian: the former bandit known as Akuto. The aging man looked at him, raising his eyebrow as he watched the boy desperately catching his breath. In his arms he held something, which looked like a small piece of rope. Akuto knew, however, that this was a living creature; Ramses had been bringing them home a lot lately.

"What happened this time?" the man asked, letting out a sigh which made it clear that he had gone through this many times before.

"They were standing on it," Ramses whimpered. "It's not a poisonous one but they were standing on it."

"How do you know it's not poisonous?" Akuto queried.

"It's a sand boa," Ramses explained as he admited the small creature. "Sand boas aren't poisonous."

Akuto didn't really have anything to say, so instead nodded his head. He grew more and more worried for Ramses every single day; he had tried so hard to raise him like a normal boy, but his connection to Apophis was strong. In fact, Akuto was fully convinced that Ramses and Apophis may have been the same being.

"Do you know how to help that one?" the former bandit questioned the boy. Ramses nodded his head proudly.

"I can take care of it," he assured. "Can it stay with us for some days?"

"A few days," Akuto replied, correcting Ramses' grammar. "And yes, it can. Just don't put it in my bed this time."

The child giggled in response. He had frightened Akuto a few times by placing snakes in his bed, with some of those snakes even being venomous. They never would harm Akuto as long as Ramses was present, however.

Akuto couldn't help but smile a little. He knew that Ramses was being cheeky, but he was happy to see that he was just acting like any child of his age, despite his quirks. Even with his strange personality traits, he was definitely similar to his parents. With his very full head of white hair and his mischievous expressions he looked a lot like his father, and his bright purple eyes reminded him of Nefertari. Remember the pair gave him mixed feelings, so his smile became a thoughtful frown.

The man awoke from his thoughts when Ramses ran over to him, tugging on his clothing with his free hand as he helf the sand boa in the other. "Can you tell me a story, Akkie?" he requested, smiling up at him.

"Another story?" Akuto sighed, sitting down and patting his lap, gesturing for Ramses to hop up and use him as a chair. "These stories ain't really good for you, kid. I don't want you growing up to be as bad as your father." Ramses only pouted up at him.

"No fair," he whined. "You got to do cool stuff as a bandit and so did he."

"What wonderful role models you have in life," Akuto mumbled sarcastically. "Fine. What do you want to hear a story about?"

Ramses had heard many stories from Akuto. He loved hearing about Akuto's bandit days and how he stole from villages. Of course, Akuto avoided telling the gruesome details to him and also didn't tell Ramses about how poorly he was treated by his comrades, or how he ended up joining them after being a man with nothing, but he did enjoy remembering the old days before he and his group arrived in El-Isfet. However, Ramses had something else on his mind.

"I want to hear a story about daddy," he decided. This caught Akuto by surprise.

"Your dad, huh?" he reacted awkwardly.

"You were friends with my daddy," Ramses assumed. "If he was like you, did he do anything cool?"

In all honesty, Akuto hated remembering Akefia. He never did see himself as the man's friend and still had some hatred towards him. That man abandoned Nefertari and caused her to die, and only a few years ago he almost destroyed the Capital. That was a dark time; Akuto wanted to just run out of his house and shove the infant Ramses into Akefia's arms to reveal that he hadn't lost everything, but instead he could only sit and cower because he promised Nefertari that he would never let Akefia see him. He then had to watch as people celebrated the death of Akefia; it was a good thing Ramses was too young to remember any of those events.

"He did a few things," Akuto admitted after a long pause. "I didn't know him that well, really. I probably knew your mother more than I knew him." Akuto at least felt that Nefertari had her heart in the right place, and he was somewhat honoured that she trusted him with her child even after he took part in an attack on her village. Akefia, on the other hand, took great pleasure in torturing him for answers, laughing at his pain. Some of the scars from his actions would never disappear from Akuto's body.

"Come on," Ramses groaned. "I wanna know about mommy and daddy."

"Well..." Akuto began, scratching the back of his neck. This was really difficult for him. "I don't know any good stories about what they did, but I could tell you a few things I learned about them." Ramses started bouncing up and down in Akuto's lap with a big grin on his face.

"Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!" he begged excitably. Akuto chuckled, knowing that there was no turning back now.

"Alright," he said. "Your mother was a very famous woman, and she was very powerful. She was the queen of an entire village called El-Isfet, and she loved her people dearly." Akuto made Nefertari's position as village queen sound amazing as he emphasized his words, even though he knew leading a village wasn't too special. "You would've liked her Ka. Her Ka was a snake queen."

"Wow!" Ramses gasped. "Was it strong?"

"Very," Akuto nodded. "But you know who had an even better Ka?"

"Who?" Ramses responded, leaning in closer to show that he was intrigued. Akuto smiled and poked his nose playfully.

"Your father," he answered. Ramses beamed joyfully.

"What was daddy's Ka like?" he interrogated.

For a moment Akuto was lost in his thoughts as he remembered how his entire group was killed by Akefia's beast, almost being included himself if Safira hadn't saved him. But he knew that telling Ramses that would make things complicated.

"Your father had a very dangerous Ka," Akuto described, "but it was also beautiful to some. It was a large white beast, with one half looking like a man while his other half was the head of a snake."

"Cool!" Ramses chirped, bouncing up and down happily. "What was that Ka called? And mommy's?"

"Mommy's Ka was called Vennominaga," Akuto answered, "and your father's Ka was called Diabound."

Ramses giggled, trying to picture his parents using their beasts in battle, but his imagination was not even close to the real thing. He then bounced up and down again. "Did they do anything cool with their Ka?" he asked.

Once more, Akuto could only think about Akefia's attack. There was no way he could tell Ramses about such an event.

"It's hard to say," he chose to reply, seeing the look of disappointment on Ramses' face. Akuto then sighed. "Look, kid, I can't say much about your parents. I didn't know them for too long, and they kept many things from me. But I do know a lot of important things about them. When you're older I'll tell you some more about your father and what he was like. I'll tell you about how he grew up and why he had a powerful Ka. I'll tell you about how I met him, and I'll even tell you about one of the last things he ever did. I'll also tell you about your mother and what she did, and I'll tell you about how I was chosen to care for you."

"Why can't you tell me anything now?" Ramses groaned.

"Because you're too young to understand," Akuto responded. "Now go to bed and make sure that little snake of yours doesn't slither into my bed." Ramses giggled again.

"I promise it won't go to you," he promised.

"Attaboy," Akuto chuckled, ruffling Ramses' fluffy white hair. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Akkie," Ramses last said before jumping out of his lap and skipping to his bed, still carrying the sand boa.

Unfortunately, Akuto was unable to keep his promise.

Ramses spent the week helping the snake get better, and even Akuto was amazed but also worried when seeing just how quickly the boa returned to health. It only made Ramses' connection to Apophis clearer, if they were even separate entities at all at this point.

On the day Ramses saw that the snake had fully recovered, he decided to release it just outside the city. While doing that, Akuto chose to head into an inn he regularly visited. Drinking had been his way of coping ever since the day he was given Ramses; while he did not know Nefertari well, he could not deny that the memory of his last encounter with her was traumatic. He had found a powerful woman, weak and broken, in a ruined village far from her own. She was all alone when Ramses was born, and she screamed in distress when she believed Mahad was ready to kill him. Her screams were painful to remember, and it was also painful to remember that she was killed that same day because his own horse had given their position away. It was even more painful to remember Ramses' infancy; Akuto had to keep his promise to Nefertari, believing that betraying a promise to the deceased would bring him a curse. He had promised to never let Akefia see Ramses, but in hindsight it would have been the better thing to do. Akefia died even without feeling any love for anything; it would have been better to get to him and make him move on so that he and his son could live happily. But instead Akuto could only look through the window as Ramses cried in his arms, watching as Akefia rode by on his horse with his corrupted Diabound following. One time Akefia even walked right past him as Akuto was exiting this very inn, and Akefia had made his way inside to presumably get some food after his first battle. Rumour then spread of how he killed everyone in the tavern; Akuto shuddered when thinking that he and Ramses could've been killed that night.

It wasn't just the memories he had of Akefia and Nefertari, but also El-Isfet. Everything there had ruined him. First he raided the village with the only people he considered his family, only to watch them all be slaughtered, mostly due to Diabound's rampage. His life was then saved by Safira, the blind spellcaster, but he was destined to lose her since she sacrificed herself to transform into Saffira, the Queen of Dragons. He was also subjected to painful torture at Akefia's hands, which still made him tremble with fear, and not too long later in life he heard about how El-Isfet fell after the queen was killed. That was a village he had planned to return to, since he had spent time away being a lone bandit, but now it was just in ruins. He didn't want to know what happened to the inhabitants there. Aside from Akefia and Nefertari, he knew of Safira's associate, Anku, and the two female messengers, Akuma and Kiro. He knew that the latter pair had been sealed away, but Anku would have still been in the village. Kubui, the charming man blind in one eye, would have been with him, along with the scribe Haku and the teal-haired spellcaster known as Tauren, formerly Servus. Would they have moved elsewhere? Were they imprisoned? Dead? Akuto would never know, mostly because he refused to inquire about the subject.

Even his distant past troubled him. He grew up here, in the Capital, as an orphan. He never knew his parents, much like Ramses, and nobody was ever there to tell him about them. He had no guardian. Instead, he fought for survival every day, stealing food and trying to avoid being beaten by Aknamkanon's guards. It was in his early teenage years that he encountered the group of bandits, who chose to take him in when seeing that he was quite the skilled thief, but they made him do more than just steal. Akuto was forced to raid villages and kill the inhabitants, or take some as prisoners so that they could be used and sold for various purposes. He wanted to drink away the screams he heard from the women in those villages, who watched their husbands and children fall in puddles of their own blood. He gulped down his wine to stop thinking about the children screaming for their parents, with their cries being silenced by swords. He had killed so many, but he never once enjoyed it. Now he could finally stop keeping his pain inside, but his way of dealing with it involved him drinking until he could barely stand. That also meant that he didn't know half the things going on around him, so when he was approached by the wrong crowd of men, he may have said or done a few things to anger them.

Ramses spent the whole day out, looking for snakes down near the Nile or in bushes elsewhere. He found quite a few and chose to observe them with awe, then at some point he returned to civilization and wandered through the city's streets. Walking was fun, since he enjoyed observing the life of those around him, even if he was prone to bullying from many of the other children. Still, he walked without being bothered, but perhaps he walked for too long. He decided to walk home when the sun was beginning to set, though on the way he saw somebody lying with their back against the wall of his house. Immediately he became defensive, but he soon realised that Akuto was the one lying there, covered in blood and wounds.

"Akkie!" the boy cried, dashing to his guardian's side. He shook him violently, getting his hands covered with blood in the process. "Akkie, wake up! You're hurt!"

Akuto's magenta eyes cracked open as he let out a weak croak, his eyes glazed over as he tried to look at the boy, instead only seeing a white-haired blur.

"Kid..." he groaned hoarsely. Ramses grabbed his hands and pulled them hard in an attempt to pull the older male.

"You're hurt!" he repeated. Akuto slipped his hands free from Ramses' grasp, surprising the child.

"Hurt too much..." he revealed quietly. "Guess... Guess this is why I shouldn't drink..."

"Go inside before it gets dark!" Ramses pleaded. "I-I'll get help!"

"Don't..." Akuto commanded, grabbing Ramses' wrist before he had the chance to run off in search of aid. "Damn it... I was... I was trying to make sure you didn't see anything like this..."

"You're gonna be okay!" Ramses whimpered, falling to Akuto's side and holding his ear against the man's chest to listen to his dangerously slow heartbeat. Tears leaked from the boy's purple eyes as Akuto gently rubbed his back to comfort him.

"There's so much... you need to know..." the older man wheezed breathlessly. "I'm sorry... I can't tell you..."

"Stop it, Akkie!" Ramses sobbed suddenly, breaking down in tears. "Don't leave me! Don't go!"

Akuto tried to smile as a last attempt to ease the white-haired child. "Don't cry..." he commanded. "Your father wouldn't have any of that... H-He'll tell me that I didn't raise your right when he sees me in a few minutes..."

"Akkie!" Ramses bawled, taking no comfort from Akuto's words. His broken heart almost made Akuto himself cry, but the wine was still in his system so his emotions were still being suppressed.

"Shh..." Akuto hushed. "Just... go to bed... Ramses..." He ruffled Ramses' hair for the last time, but his hand slipped awkwardly down until it flopped at his side, hitting the red-stained sand. His eyes remained half-open and glazed, but his movements stopped. Ramses heard how his heart beat suddenly became slower and quieter, until there was nothing at all. The boy's eyes went wide and his own heart rate quickened.

"Akkie?" he whimpered, nudging him. "Akkie?!" He knew exactly what had happened, which made his cries even louder. "Akkie! Come back!" His cries were like the howls of a dying wolf pup. "Come back, Akkie! Come back!" His crying had become screaming, only getting louder and louder by the minute. He kept his head rested again Akuto's chest, hoping to hear another faint beat. He wanted Akuto to groan and say "just kidding" or something like that. This couldn't be real. This wasn't fair.

He felt Akuto's body go cold as the night grew darker, and his tiredness started to stop his screams gradually. Ramses made no attempt to leave Akuto's solid body when the hours passed by, either; instead he slept on his stiff corpse, only to be disturbed in the early morning hours by a group of rough-looking men.

"Looks like we killed him," one man said.

"Eh, he deserved it for what he said," another added, shrugging his shoulders. "Nobody talks to us like that. We have a reputation!"

"Maybe this'll help remind people that don't bluff," the first man huffed. A third man then crouched down, plucking Ramses away from Akuto's body roughly and causing the boy to yelp and flinch fearfully, trembling in the older man's one-handed grasp.

"Hey, who's this kid?" the man asked. The others looked confused.

"Dunno," answered the second man. "Guess he probably knew this guy. Why else would he be crying?"

"Doubt he's his kid or anything," the first man assumed. "Look how white his hair is. I bet he's a foreigner."

"Disgusting," spat the third man as he threw Ramses to the ground. "Get outta here before we cut you up, too!"

Ramses didn't have to be told twice. Still in tears, the young boy swiftly ran away as fast as he could. Home wasn't going to be safe; those men would likely loot the place now that Akuto was dead. Ramses tried to think about where to go, but there was nowhere. Akuto had no friends, or at least any who Ramses knew of. He believed his guardian was a very lonely man who trusted nobody, so Ramses truly had nowhere to go. All he could do was run.

Life was going to be much harder for him now.

The days passed by, and then it was weeks. Life didn't get any easier as Ramses became less and less human each day, being treated like he was nothing.

It felt like it was getting worse, yet at the same time Ramses woke up every day expecting the same results. He learned new tricks every day, learning how to avoid trouble and, most importantly, he was learning how to survive.

The streets of the Capital were ruthless to the unfortunate. A child begging for food would only be kicked to the ground and scared away. Not even bread too old for sale would be given to the beggars.

Ramses was only a young boy dressed in rags, lying on the jagged cobbles in a small alleyway. He was filthy. He was bruised. He was starving. But nobody washed him. Nobody healed him. Nobody fed him.

Although he recently lost his only guardian, Ramses was already used to this life. He knew that pleading for help would do him no good. He knew that nobody would care for him, but he was too young and weak to care for himself. He was simply waiting to die so that he could see his guardian again, or maybe even meet his real parents for the first time.

A small basket caught his attention after he realised that he was in too much pain to sleep. It had just been left there further into the alley. Ramses decided to drag himself closer, curious to see if maybe there was food in this container. He knew that it was unlikely; maybe this was just one large hallucination. Either way, he chose to remove the lid. If he wasn't so weary from his sickness he may have jumped back in fear or put the lid back on, but he barely reacted to what he saw. A cobra was swift to hiss and flare its hood, rearing up at the child.

Ramses could only stare at it with tired eyes. He felt no fear. Cobras were venomous and vicious, but death to him would be merciful. But Ramses noticed that the mouth of the snake had been bound, and the reptile seemed weak and sick itself.

During his first few days of wandering the streets, Ramses had seen men playing instruments to make snakes dance from baskets such as the one he had just found. He remembered seeing the act as cruel, for he knew that snakes did not dance. They always seemed threatened and afraid of the men playing music for them, and they always had their mouths bound shut. Ramses would ask himself how it was possible to feed these snakes, assuming that the men would untie their mouths for feeding, but it was quite clear that once the snake grew hungry they would simply be killed or discarded. Obviously this cobra before him was no longer able to "dance" for his master, so now he had been sentenced to death.

Ramses reached his little hands out so that he could free the snake's mouth, watching as the reptile stretched its jaws as if yawning. The boy stared at the cobra, waiting for it to strike and end his meaningless life, but it didn't. Ramses tilted his head to the side, nudging its cheek a few times with his finger. It simply stared up at him with its big black eyes and flicked its tongue, its hood even lowering. Ramses sighed quietly and slumped back against the wall, closing his eyes. The snake must have spent too long to understand how to bite its prey.

But Ramses suddenly felt something slithering up his body. His eyes opened and he lifted his head slightly, seeing the cobra rearing up at him again. Its face was close to his and it flicked its tongue, tickling the human child's nose. Ramses giggled quietly for the first time in a while, reaching his hand up to gently stroke the top of the cobra's head. It did not hiss or flare its hood; it let Ramses pet it.

Ramses chose to lie down, holding the snake to his chest as he smiled weakly to himself. The venomous reptile made itself comfortable, curling up in his arms and snuggling against him. They were both able to sleep soundly.

 _..._

 _7 years later..._

The Snake Whisperer. That's the title he earned himself. Some even called him the King Cobra, because even the most aggressive of snakes would respond to him.

He walked through the streets with his loyal companion sitting on his shoulder. Zosar was the name given to the black and yellow cobra who was found by Ramses all that time ago; a name fit only for a king.

The silver-haired man spotted a crowd gathered around a snake charmer, mesmerized by his skills at making a horned viper dance to his tunes. Ramses approached the crowd and observed for a few moments, unnoticed, before he spoke up.

"See if he dances for you with his mouth unbound," he dared. The snake charmer stopped and looked at his audience to find the one who had the audacity to oppose him. His eyes immediately locked onto Ramses and he frowned.

"Only a fool would charm a snake without restraints, boy," he excused. "That one on your shoulder must have no fangs!" Ramses simply held out his arm, allowing Zosar to slither down and rest his head in his palm. Using his thumb, Ramses stroked the side of his face. Zosar opened his mouth wide, revealing his venomous fangs.

"A true snake charmer brings no harm to his snakes," the purple-eyed boy stated. "Without the snake, nobody would be standing here watching you perform. The snake is a partner and deserves equal respect."

"A snake does not understand respect," the snake charmer countered, eyes locked onto Zosar warily. "Without restraints it is nothing but a fierce predator!"

Ramses stepped forward and held Zosar closer to the man, seeing him flinch. "Hold him," he said calmly. The snake charmer immediately became fearful and flinched again after hearing Zosar letting out a loud hissing sound. Ramses frowned and simply placed Zosar onto the floor. The cobra made no attempt to attack the snake charmer but did indeed find satisfaction in intimidating him.

The crowd watched as Ramses knelt before the basket, observing as he carefully untied the viper. The viper hissed at first but seemed to grow calm, sliding out of the basket. It slithered up Ramses' arm and the young boy held it to his face. It made no attempt to bite him.

The twelve-year-old held up the viper as he turned to face the awe-struck crowd. "This is not the art of snake charming," he announced confidently. "Snake charming is not when you teach a snake to dance. Snakes do not dance, they sway because they are threatened. The true art of snake charming is respecting the snake and treating it like you would any other admirable creature. Worship snakes as you would worship cats. They are smart animals who are related to many of the Egyptian Gods. We must treat them as we would treat any gift from the gods, and we must show them that we are below them." Ramses tilted his head as he admited the viper on his hand, using his other hand to stroke its cheek. "This viper has the power to bite my finger and escape," he pointed out, "but he does not bite because I have saved him and he knows I do not see myself as greater than him." The boy then crouched down, letting Zosar slither up his free arm all the way up onto his shoulder. "Zosar could throttle me and poison me if he pleased, but instead he rests upon my shoulder. Why? Because I saved him when I was young. He saw that I was ready to die in his place. He saw that I was willing to be bitten, but he did not attack. I owe my life to this cobra because he could snatch it away whenever he pleases, but he does not." The boy's purple eyes watched everyone within the shocked crowd. "There are no snake charmers, my friends; the snake is the one who charms the human."

"This is sorcery!" snapped the snake charmer. "You're using black magic!"

"No," someone said in the crowd, stepping forward. "The boy is right. Any snake could be the eye of Wadjet watching over us, the people of Egypt, yet look what we do to them."

"They could also be an eye of Apophis," the snake charmer argued. "He's the very embodiment of chaos. To tame a snake is to tame chaos itself."

"Apophis is still a god," Ramses found himself saying almost as an instinctive response. "Despite what he represents, he is still a powerful being. To think low of him is what causes his snakes to be angry - because we, mere humans, look down on them when really they have the power to destroy us."

"Mark my words, boy, you'll get what's coming to you!" the snake charmer yelled, pointing his finger at Ramses. "You're using witchcraft to charm these reptiles, and one day they'll see it! I wouldn't be surprised if you are calling out to Apophis himself for help!"

"If you are accusing me of being evil, then I suggest you go down to the Nile and take a good look at your reflection in the water," Ramses retorted. "I do not use snakes for money, the snakes use me to get them food. I am a slave to them, they are not slaves to me. I save snakes from people who disrespect them and I honour them with food, water and shelter. Am I truly evil for rescuing such precious creatures?"

"You're a monster," the snake charmer spat. "You even look like a monster!"

The words did not harm Ramses at all. Having grown up on the streets, he had become quite thick-skinned. Instead all he did was walk away, carrying both Zosar and the viper with him. This life of his would continue; he would challenge snake charmers and humiliate them before rescuing their snakes, and ultimately his fame grew. He spent a year living this lifestyle, and for the first time he believed that he had a bright future. But all of that was about to change as the year passed and Ramses became a teenager.

The best moments of Ramses' life were about to come to an end. He became a famous face in the streets and he would perform for money. Many snakes would perform with him, including Zosar. The audience would even bring meat for the snakes and Ramses would feed them from his hand. It truly was an amazing time.

But his career made many snake charmers suffer. They would lose their snakes and their crowds. Ramses was stealing them away with his shows, so naturally they chose to band together to work against him.

A rumour was quick to spread. Ramses was accused of witchcraft. He was accused of black magic. Some even heard that Ramses was plotting to overthrow Pharaoh Seto.

Ramses' crowds became smaller and smaller, and people started to be afraid of him.

One day he was found drinking from the Nile with many of his snakes surrounding him. It was quiet and peaceful, until Ramses suddenly raised his head to see that he was surrounded by Seto's guards. He did nothing to provoke them, but they were violent. They beat him to the ground and slaughtered every last snake, dragging the young teenager by force. He cried out in horror at the sight of the dead reptiles; they were the only friends he had.

He was taken to the palace and was made to stand opposite Seto's throne, trembling with tears staining his cheeks.

"Pharaoh, this boy has the power to communicate with animals," explained one of the guards. "He has abused his power to threaten the snake charmers in the city and he has ruined their lives with his black magic."

"I didn't do anything!" Ramses cried, but he was struck in the face by another guard standing by him.

"Do not speak unless the Pharaoh commands it!" he snapped, causing the boy to fall silent and lower his head.

Seto eyed the boy for a moment. "He's only a child," he said. "Where are his parents?"

"He has none, sir," a guard answered.

"Hmph," Seto huffed. "Throw him back into the streets without punishment. But, if I do see you again, snake whisperer, then I will not be so kind."

Seto had made it clear that he was not a soft ruler, but not entirely cruel. Ramses was thrown back into the streets where he solemnly made his way back to the bodies of the dead snakes. He chose to bury them, but he broke down crying when he found the body of Zosar. A part of him had hoped that he would've escaped or survived, but luck was not on his side.

Ramses could only sit and cry, no longer surrounded by his reptilian companions as the sun lowered from the sky. The boy buried his face in his knees as he wept, with the city now dark as night took over the land, until he suddenly heard a hissing sound. Ramses halted his sniffling and slowly lifted his head, his purple eyes going wide immediately as he gasped in shock. Before him was a large white cobra with a red belly, which looked like no other snake he had ever seen before.

"Zosar...?" Ramses quietly asked, holding out his hand steadily. The cobra flicked its tongue and slithered up his arm. Ramses used his free hand to wipe away his tears as he smiled shakily, and only then did he noticed that he was surrounded by other bizarre looking snakes. One was purple with the occasional red stripe along with a yellow belly, rattle tail and even a few spikes along its back. Another snake was green with two heads, and a third was large with a purple body and three eyes along with a smaller cobra-like head on its tail.

Ramses came to realise that these were not ordinary snakes, but instead they were the spirits of his fallen friends. They were venom beasts - monsters he could call forth for aid if he had the legendary weapon known as the DiaDhank. But the white cobra before him, while also being the spirit of Zosar, was also a reflection of his own spirit. Perhaps, because of its white colour and connection to snakes, the Venom Cobra was also a shadow of his father. He recalled Akuto telling him about his father's beautiful white Ka which was half man and half snake, so the white colour must have come from his father's Diabound.

The boy spent some time with the snake spirits, but eventually it was time for them to leave. Each one seemed to bid their farewells to him individually, and the last to leave was Venom Cobra. Zosar. His father. Watching the white snake fade away brought tears to his eyes, but Ramses did not let them shed. Zosar was with him. And - perhaps a belief too optimistic - his father was with him.

Ramses now had to accept that he would be going back to his life as a beggar in the streets, pleading for money while being spat on. He slept in an alleyway for the night, only to awaken to the sound of kids yelling abuse down at him as they kicked him. The teen shoved them back but could not find it within himself to harm them, so instead he chose to flee.

As he ran through the streets he could hear people shouting at him. "Monster!" they would yell. "Evil spirit!" others would snap. Rocks were hurled in his direction, with some hitting him and instantly bruising or cutting him. "Leave this city, embodiment of Apophis! You are not welcome here!"

Being compared to Apophis felt oddly strange. He had never been educated about the god, but he knew so much about him and had always felt connected to him. There were days when he would think of gods like Wadjet, but for some reason the cruel Apophis was the one he felt the most familiar with. He honestly felt that the god had suffered and may have been misunderstood, and hearing people comparing him to Apophis felt... right. He wasn't offended by the comparison, but being told he wasn't welcome really did hurt him.

A dark path now lay ahead of Ramses. For a few days he would just sit and beg, but nobody would provide him with food or spare money. He had no choice but to turn to a thieving lifestyle, where he would quickly snatch food from stalls and sprint away. It didn't take long for him to adapt to this lifestyle at all, but he soon became a famous face for a negative reason. He had stolen so much food from the market that now the guards were always looking out for him.

Outrunning the guards was easy enough for a good while, but by the age of fourteen his tricks became well-known. As he approached a stall he reached his hand out to grab some bread, wearing a hooded cloak so nobody could see him, but his wrist was suddenly grabbed by the stall owner.

"So, you thought you could steal from my stall again, boy?" he asked, yanking down Ramses' hood. The nearby citizens gasped upon seeing his distinct white hair, and the stall owner shouted: "Guards!"

"Wait, you don't understand!" Ramses reacted, panicking. "All I want is some food... Nobody will let me work for money and I have no friends or family..."

"You're nothing but a monster," the stall owner spat, using his other hand to raise a meat cleaver. "It's about time you were taught a thing or two about stealing!"

"No, please!" Ramses cried, widening his eyes in horror. The punishment for theft was to lose a hand - without his hand, how could he steal the food he needed to survive?

But before the meat cleaver was brought down onto his wrist, one of the guards put their hand on the stall owner's shoulder while another guard roughly grabbed Ramses by the shoulders and pulled him back.

"Don't worry," said the guard who stood by the stall owner. "We'll let Pharaoh Seto see to this one; we've been wanting to catch him for some time now."

"Hmph," grunted the stall owner, folding his arms. "Make sure he gets the punishment he deserves."

Everyone watched as the teen was dragged forcibly by his arms. He feebly attempted to dig his heels into the sand, but nothing would slow down his journey to the palace.

The guards threw Ramses before Seto's throne, both holding their spears to his throat in case he attempted to flee.

"Pharaoh, we finally caught the white-haired thief," one guard announced.

"The former Snake Whisperer," Seto recalled. "He came before me a year ago for allegedly using black magic to charm snakes and steal them from their owners. It's as if stealing is in his nature."

As he said that, Seto couldn't help but narrow his eyes. This boy looked like someone he had seen in his youth; a man with light grey hair and purple eyes came to mind, and Seto recalled how such a man entered the palace when the previous pharaoh was on the throne.

The timid and fearful look on the young boy's face is what made Ramses seem so different to the man Seto was picturing. The other thief was confident and villainous, while Ramses was just fighting for survival and cowering before anyone who confronted him. There was no way he and the other man could have a connection.

"How is he to be punished?" asked one of Seto's High Priests. "Surely a criminal such as him should be put through a Millennium Trial?"

"No," Seto answered. "I don't believe this boy is evil, despite what rumours suggest. His path may very well darken in the future, but he is no threat while he is still a boy. But punishment still must be given to those who break the law, even if their intentions are not evil. Bring in a branding iron!"

The two guards keeping Ramses still suddenly tore off his rags, exposing his bare torso and leaving him only in his kilt. "What are you doing?!" Ramses asked, his body shaking as he glanced around.

"You are in no position to ask questions," replied one of the guards, gritting his teeth. Both guards dropped their spears and firmly held him by his arms. Ramses felt his heart beat faster and faster as one of his arms was stretched out, and he quickly turned his head to see another guard holding a large pole with a glowing orange tip in the shape of an ankh. The teen didn't even need to ask questions now, for he knew exactly what was going to happen.

"No!" he begged, trying to pull away. He stared at Seto with desperate, pleading eyes. "Please, Pharaoh, I meant no harm, I swear! I don't want to be a criminal, I just want to live!" Seto only glared down at Ramses with a frown, not even saying anything in response. He was not at all moved by Ramses' pleas and instead waited for the process to be done, all the while watching as Ramses struggled and pleaded for the guards to show some mercy.

The smell of burning hot metal drew closer and closer. Ramses knew that looking away would be better for him, but instead he found himself staring as the iron moved towards his arm inch by inch. It wasn't long before a loud hissing sound filled the throne room, along with Ramses' agonized shrieking. His arm was held even tighter as he tried to thrash and pull away, the smell of burning flesh filling his nose.

The searing pain lasted for about ten seconds before the iron was pulled away. His upper left arm was now numb aside from the area where this brand was. He desperately wanted to clasp his other hand on this new wound to put pressure on it, but he could do no such thing while restrained. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he sobbed; he realised that he was now forever branded as a criminal, and every day he would look upon this mark and remember the pain he felt here.

"You are to be sentenced to two years of hard labour," Seto announced coldly. "For those two years you will have no freedom, but you will be released beck into society once you have served your sentence."

Ramses had nothing to say. If he wasn't in pain then he would have had the energy to protest, but right now he was feeling weak. He was merely limp as he was dragged away to the dungeons, where he was cuffed by his wrists and ankles and collared to show his position as a slave.

The boy did not have any sleep that night. He lay in his bed, struggling to rest in a comfortable position due to his branded upper arm, which he spent a good time staring at until the sun began to rise, and it was then when a guard opened his cell door. The guard said nothing as he grabbed Ramses, dragging him out of his cell. He led the boy to a group of other slaves, and then the group was taken outside.

This was the point where Ramses almost shut down his mind, letting every day pass by as a blur. He was made to drag heavy bricks to construction sites, or he was made to dig out new tombs. Sometimes he was made to work for days without rest, and when the heat made him collapse he was forced to awaken and work again. Constant passing out would result in him being whipped; it was safe to say that after the two years passed, his back was heavily scarred.

Even though life as a slave felt like it lasted forever, it still didn't feel as long as he thought it would be when he was finally freed. The weak sixteen-year-old was stripped of his collar and finally shoved back into the streets, where he once again wandered as an outcast.

Ramses decided to take a trip down memory lane. It had been eleven years since the death of his guardian, so he wondered what state his old house was in. The teenager shakily walked through alleyways, now numb to pain if anyone made an attempt to harm him, and soon enough he found himself standing before his old derelict home.

Seeing the house brought back the horrifying memory of the night which changed Ramses' life, but the more he stared at the building, the more pleasant the memories became. In fact, Ramses found himself smiling as he remembered how Akuto would tell him stories about his bandit days. He remembered sitting by the fire with him while eating good food. The thought of food made Ramses' stomach rumble, so he decided to make his visit here quick before he went to find something to eat.

Ramses climbed through a window, scanning the dark environment. Clearly the place had been looted, since it was a complete mess and no valuables could be seen. In all fairness, Akuto had stolen those valuables, anyway. So Ramses just decided to sit where the fire used to be, closing his eyes as he remembered the good old days.

After some time, Ramses eventually decided to stand and examine the house one last time. He may never return, so he had to take it all in. He went to visit his old room, which had also been looted, but he found that his old bed had something on it - something he once used as a blanket. Akuto had told him that it belonged to his father, and his mother had wrapped him in it the day he was born. It was a beige shenti made for an adult. Ramses knew that it would still be big on him, but he was almost fully grown now. He slipped on the shenti, feeling that it was slightly oversized, and finally decided to leave the room along with the building itself. He glanced back at it a final time before running away towards the marketplace.

His two years of enslavement hadn't exactly rehabilitated him, for there was nothing he could do to stop his thieving ways. He swiftly stole some fruit and ran through the crowd of people, finding a secluded spot elsewhere in the city to eat his food.

Night soon fell and Ramses knew that he had to find a place to sleep. He considered returning his home, but he wasn't sure if some other criminals had claimed that spot since it had been empty for years. Instead Ramses chose to search for a quiet alleyway, but as he rested his eyes he was suddenly disturbed.

"Hey, check it out," he heard a female voice say. "Wasn't this guy that famous Snake Whisperer kid a few years ago?"

Ramses' eyes snapped open and he immediately kicked the girl away, jumping up to his feet and raising his fists.

"Easy there," he heard a male speak, seeing that the voice came from a young man dressed in a royal purple robe with beaded jewellery and a golden headdress upon his black-haired head. "We're not gonna hurt you, kid."

"Who are you?" Ramses interrogated, still not dropping his guard.

"We're the band of six," answered a man with dark blue messy hair and grey eyes, dressed in typical brown-coloured rags. "Haven't heard of us?"

"No," Ramses admitted, shaking his head.

"Well, we sure know who you are," said the female. "You used to use magic on snakes or something, didn't ya?"

"Not magic," Ramses corrected. "Snakes just... like me, for some reason."

"Cool," grinned the girl.

"We noticed that you became a pretty infamous thief some time ago," said the well-dressed man with the bobbed black hair. "Weren't you caught?"

"Yeah..." Ramses nodded shamefully.

"Of course he was caught," said a man with sandy blond hair and brown eyes, who beared a striking resemblance to a certain tomb keeper from the future. "Look; he has been branded." Immediately Ramses covered his brand scar with his hand, seeing it as something to be ashamed of.

"No need to look so insecure," said a brown-haired boy with white skin, contrasting with the darker skin tones in the group. He gestured to a collar around his neck. "See? I was a slave, too. They don't take too kindly to foreigners here."

"Same," said the girl, also gesturing to her collar. "They took me from Canaan."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Ramses muttered quietly.

"What are you apologizing for?" asked the pale boy. "You didn't enslave us."

"Anyway, what's your name, kid?" asked the well-dressed male. "We just knew you as the Snake Whisperer or the white-haired thief."

"My name's Ramses," Ramses answered, not sure if he should ask the others for their names, too.

"Son of Ra," said a man with short black hair and goatee. He had a very similar appearance to a certain man who had a blind eye.

"Well, Ramses, my name's Yasir," answered the man in the royal purple robe. Ramses then noticed that Yasir had dark red eyes, which seemed unusual but also interesting. Without them he looked like every other Egyptian man.

"Call me Dinah," grinned the girl, who had curly dark brown hair and a black star marked on her cheek.

"I'm Zero," said the man with dark blue hair and grey eyes, who wore nothing but typical light brown and white rags.

"Gaius," said the white-skinned boy with brown hair and green eyes, raising his hand as he announced his name.

"I'm Setka," said the man in brown robes who resembled a future tomb keeper. There was a pause before the sixth individual spoke.

"Oh," chuckled the brown-eyed man with the goatee. "I'm Akila."

"It's... nice to meet you all," Ramses responded, not knowing what else to say.

"Such manners for a criminal," Yasir chuckled.

"It's been a while since anyone has said meeting us was a nice thing," Gaius added with a smile.

"To be fair, it's not like he knows who we are," Dinah reminded. "We were probably better known after he was caught and enslaved."

"Yeah," agreed Zero. "I stopped hearing of this guy about two years ago."

"Well, Ramses, we're bandits," Yasir revealed. "We raid tombs and villages for goods. Everyone sees us as evil, but how evil can we really be when we all have our own tragic tales to tell?"

"Yasir, you're just a spoiled brat," Zero grumbled. "You're only here because you want to be rich." Yasir grinned.

"Alright, everyone here has a tragic tale except me," he corrected. He pointed to Gaius and Dinah. "You already know that those two were enslaved foreigners." He then pointed to Zero. "This guy was orphaned during the Capital tragedy." Next he pointed to Setka. "He was supposed to be a tomb keeper for the previous Pharaoh's tomb, but he rebelled so that he could have his freedom." Finally he pointed to Akila. "And his father was taken as a slave from the fallen village of El-Isfet."

"El-Isfet?" Ramses repeated, his eyes wide.

"Yeah," Yasir nodded. "You know, the village with the evil queen? Eh, maybe you were too young to remember it. We were all kids, too, but you're a little baby compared to us."

"I'm sixteen," Ramses grumbled.

"Baby," Yasir taunted, laughing.

"Would you like to come with us?" asked Dinah suddenly. "I'm sure becoming the band of seven wouldn't be too bad, and you certainly would make our group interesting. You could use your weird snake powers to protect us from being bitten when raiding tombs, since we've come across a few angry cobras in the past."

While he knew that joining a group of bandits would darken his future, he felt that he had no other choice. Perhaps his guardian, Akuto, was in a similar situation, but he wouldn't know; Akuto rarely spoke of the dark times.

"Sure," Ramses nodded, then smiling a little.

"Awesome!" Dinah grinned, wrapping her arm around Ramses and pulling him close. "We're gonna be like a family! You'll fit right in!"

Family. Ramses always wanted to be part of a family.

"We should go back to our little hideout," said Zero. "Let's get going."

Zero led the way and the group followed, with Ramses trailing behind. He found himself looking at Akila, who walked just ahead of him. El-Isfet was the village his mother ruled. The evil queen Yasir had spoken of was his mother. Did Akila's father know his mother? Better yet, did he know his father?

Ramses decided to approach Akila, albeit awkwardly. "Hey, Akila..." he mumbled. "Do you... know anything about El-Isfet?"

"Man, you really were a little baby when it happened, weren't you?" Akila responded, shaking his head with an amused smile on his face. "El-Isfet fell pretty much in the year you must have been born. It was ruled by a woman named Nefertari, and my father, a man named Kubui, used to protect her. He was taken as a slave and was freed for a short time before being arrested again."

"That's awful," Ramses reacted, his eyes full of sympathy for Akila.

"Why do you wanna know about El-Isfet?" Akila asked him.

"Well..." Ramses began slowly, hesitant to reply. "My mother was..."

"The queen," Akila finished for him, grinning as if he had confirmed a thought in his head. "Man, my father was right. She _did_ do something with that thief."

"Huh?" Ramses responded, now looking confused as he tilted his head.

"Your father was a thief who lived in El-Isfet for a little bit," Akila explained, keeping his voice down. "He's the same man who caused the Capital tragedy fifteen years ago, the man responsible for leaving Zero as an orphan, so don't let Zero know you're his kid. He'll kill ya."

"Wait, my father... my father was the man who attacked the Capital...?" Ramses queried, his purple eyes full of shock.

"Yep," Akila nodded. "He used his Ka: Diabound."

"Diabound?" Ramses repeated, feeling his heart sink. He always knew that Diabound was a strong beast, but Akuto had described it as something beautiful. Ramses didn't want to picture it as something that caused so much devastation.

"Everyone says that your father was evil and mad, but my father always thought otherwise," Akila continued. "He said he was just a moody guy, and he always said that he spent too much time with the queen during his stay. Oh, and there's one thing he told me not long before he was taken to the dungeons." Akila leaned in closer to Ramses and kept his voice quiet while walking. "Rumour has it that the thief didn't pass on to the afterlife. Apparently High Priest Mana's Millennium Ring contains his soul, along with the spirit of Zorc the Dark Once."

Ramses took a moment to absorb the information. "So... You're saying that... my father is in that ring...?"

"He might very well be," Akila said with a shrug. "Anyway, I don't really know much else about your father or your mother. Besides, we should really just spend the night resting; you should get to know the others a little more."

Upon arriving at a ruined building, the group spent the night eating and talking to one another. Ramses devoured the most food and looked like a starved animal as he did it, but when he finally retired he found that he could not sleep. He was still processing the fact that his father was evil. His father was the evil man who attacked the Capital, and his mother was known as an evil queen.

Ramses did eventually fall asleep, but not for long. He had nightmares of his father coming to kill him while his mother watched and laughed, and he awoke early that morning in a cold sweat.

Ramses' life definitely took a turn for the worst. He raided tombs with these bandits and even raided some villages. He had painted black lines down both his eyes to give himself a more intimidating appearance, which he would use to his advantage during village raids. But even during this dark time, Ramses was not an evil man. He may have used snakes to threaten villagers, but he was never the one who killed. The only times he would kill someone was when his own life was in danger.

But again, this lifestyle was short-lived. One day the group left a tomb, laughing together as they carried the riches, only to be ambushed by Seto's guards. Ramses was luckily able to flee, but his group of bandits weren't so lucky. They were taken by the guards and, within the next few days, executed. Including Akila. Apparently Akila was killed beside his father Kubui, who had previously been imprisoned for years.

Ramses knew that life for him could not go on like this. He was becoming filled with hatred. Everyone he loved would be killed, whether they were human or snake. He was tired of being the nice guy who was pushed around for being weak. He had to act.

Ramses rode on horseback into the palace during the early hours of night, using a machete to strike down any guard who attempted to stop him. The priests all attempted to use their magic to halt the young bandit as he jumped from his horse, but he had prepared for this moment ever since Akila told him about the Millennium Ring. He wanted that ring. He had to get his father.

"Stop, you scoundrel!" yelled the priest who wielded the Millennium Scales. "How dare you enter the palace!"

There was no point in trying to explain himself. Ramses knew he wasn't evil, but he had become a desperate young man. He had nothing anymore. No friends. No money. No family. He knew that running here was a death sentence, but he had to get that ring. Besides the beige shenti he wore, that ring was all he had left of his father.

Instead of trying to explain the situation, Ramses clicked his fingers and began chanting in a language unheard of to even the most experienced spellcasters. This was because Ramses was no spellcaster, but a living ancient god; as a young boy charming snakes was easy for him, but now he could summon any snake in the nearby area. There were snakes from the courtyard trees and snakes which hid within the pottery - wherever they came from, they all slithered into the palace to join at Ramses' side.

"Pharaoh, what magic is this?!" gasped the holder of the Millennium Key.

"This is no magic I've ever seen before," spoke High Priestess Mana, the holder of the Millennium Ring. "Not even my master spoke of such spells to summon snakes, and I doubt even my cousin and his associates would know what this is. It's not magic, Pharaoh, this is evil witchcraft!"

The holder of the Millennium Scales held out his item, attempting to measure the evil within Ramses' soul. "Impossible..." he gasped. "The scales cannot weigh his evil! I have never seen this before!"

"I have," Seto announced, narrowing his eyes as Ramses stood silently with his vicious reptiles at his side. "I saw it once when I was a High Priest. A man entered this palace to challenge our previous pharaoh, demanding judgement so that he could show off his god Ka. I remember that man clearly; he had hair almost as white as this boy's, and his eyes were a dark shade of purple. In fact, seeing those black markings down this boy's eyes reminds me of the scar upon that bandit's face." Seto stood up, pointing his Millennium Rod accusingly at the sixteen-year-old. "There is no doubt this boy is connected to the Thief King!"

"He's merely a child," spoke the man with the Millennium Eye. "Didn't that attack take place fifteen years ago?"

"That man had no family," Mana recalled.

"No," Seto agreed. "Perhaps there is no connection, but I believe the gods are punishing me with the haunting image of that man's face. However, I do not intend to let this boy do what that thief did. He will die here and now!"

"Shut up!" Ramses suddenly hollered, silencing the room as his voice echoed. He grit his teeth together and clenched his fists, fury burning in his purple eyes. "I am Ramses, son of Nefertari, the queen of El-Isfet, and I am the son of the Thief King! I've spent nearly every day of my life fighting for survival in the streets, and any shed of happiness I feel will always be taken away from me!" The teenager pointed his finger angrily at Seto. "You think you can threaten me after all I've suffered? You think I am not numb to pain? You should think again, Pharaoh! You do not know pain!"

"You speak with such naive words," Seto huffed. The boy before him was not well-educated and he could certainly see that; Seto was driven out of the Capital as a child and his village was burned to the ground by bandits, his mother being one of the many people killed that night. He went from being Atem's cousin to being a commoner in the streets, and from there he became one of the High Priests before being named as the next pharaoh. He did know pain, and he knew how hard it could be to climb the power ladder.

Still, Seto couldn't ignore what Ramses had just told him. He had just announced that he was the son of the evil Thief King and the evil Nefertari. He wasn't even aware that the pair were connected, but now that it had been pointed out, Seto was clearly beginning to see what he previously could not. On the outside he greatly resembled the thief, but his purple eyes were much more alike to Nefertari's - the exact same colour, in fact. And his control over snakes could come from both individuals.

But a different thought struck Seto's mind. While both the Thief King and Nefertari had spiritual links to snakes, something else was remembered. Nefertari, on her day of execution, did not contain the spirit of Apophis despite being possessed by the evil god. There was never an explanation as to why this was so. Judging by Ramses' age, sixteen, it all made sense.

Nefertari had been killed a year before the thief's attack, meaning she was killed in the same year Ramses was born.

Her son contained the spirit of Apophis.

"Close the palace doors," Seto commanded to his guards. "This boy cannot leave alive. He is the son of two criminals, and the vessel of Apophis!"

"Heh," Ramses chuckled almost sadly. "You think I'm just the vessel?" He took a few daring steps towards Seto's throne, with his snakes following him, and he opened his arms to make a big reveal to the court. "I am Apophis!"

"No..." gasped the Millennium Key's holder. "That's not possible!"

"You're delusional," spat the holder of the Millennium Scales.

"Why do you think my magic is so obscure?" Ramses asked them. "Do you think an ordinary human vessel could have such power?"

"Don't let his words fool you, he's just a boy!" Seto barked. "Killing him should be easy; he cannot even summon his Ka!"

"Go, my reptiles!" Ramses instructed. "Show those priests that you're not so easily trodden on!"

He didn't want to hurt anyone. Hurting people was not in his nature. But he had no choice. He was a man with nothing. He was a man who would forever have nothing. Not only that, but the pharaoh before him had taken part in killing both his mother and his father. Perhaps his father was an evil man, his mother, too, but they were still his parents. They still deserved respect.

Mana was the one wearing the item his father was allegedly trapped within. All he had to do was get that ring and see if he could at least see what his father looked like. Maybe he could even free his spirit.

While his snakes slithered and hissed at the priests, Ramses quickly approached Mana while she was vulnerable. Everyone was too focused on protecting Seto rather than the one he was after.

"Hey! Get off me!" Mana demanded, drawing out her wand. But the string holding the ring around her neck snapped as Ramses pulled it from her. He had what he wanted, but now he just had to get away. The palace had been sealed, so his only option was to run further into the palace. "He has the Millennium Ring!" Mana cried out. Seto didn't look at all worried.

"Follow him," he commanded. "He won't be getting far. We've cornered him now."

The guards and the priests ran through the palace in search of Ramses, who had crouched behind one of the many stone pillars. He held the item in his hands, staring at it with a glimmer of hope in his young eyes. This was it. This was the Millennium Ring his father was trapped inside.

What now?

Was Ramses supposed to call out to his father, or was he supposed to chant some kind of spell?

"...Father..."

He found himself muttering out the words as he stared at the golden item. "Father...? Please, can you hear me...? I know you're in there..."

As he said those words he felt something. The item began to glow, but only for a very brief moment. The glowing light went out quicker than it came, as if his father had tried to reach out to him but was pulled back by whatever was keeping him imprisoned. Ramses gasped, clutching the ring tighter; he hadn't even noticed the sound of shouting and footsteps approaching him.

"Father...!" he called out. It must have been true. His father was in his hands. While he was dead, his spirit was still very much alive.

There were tears leaking from his eyes now, but his emotional discovery was ruined when he felt the guards grabbing him by his shoulders and arms, pulling him up to his feet and holding him still. No guard took the ring from him, knowing that such a task was dangerous, so it was Mana who approached and pulled the ring from his hands.

Ramses was dragged back before Pharaoh Seto and thrown to his knees. His head was bowed; he felt weak in the knees.

"What do you have to say for yourself, you vile rat?" Seto asked him angrily. Ramses said nothing, so Seto continued to speak. "You want that item so badly? Well then, let's see if your soul can survive being burned away! Mana, make him wear the ring!"

"But, Pharaoh..." Mana protested. Ramses already showed that he could hold the ring, so no doubt wearing it would do nothing.

"Do as I command!" Seto barked at her, causing the priestess to flinch. She hesitantly approached Ramses, lifting his head and tying the ring around his neck. Taking a step back, she and the others watched in anticipation. They all expected to see his eyes go up in flames with fire spewing from his mouth, but that did not happen. Instead, the ring settled comfortably with Ramses' spirit.

"That's impossible..." said the priest with the Millennium Eye. "How can a young boy with such an evil heart have control over the Millennium Ring?!"

Ramses would have protested, telling him that he was not evil, but he was too focused on the fact that the ring was around his neck. This item, which held such power and darkness, had bonded with him. Maybe it was because of his god spirit, which had manifested as a being known as the Embodiment of Apophis, or maybe it was because of his father. Either way, it felt truly amazing to have control over such a dangerous item - it was exactly like taming a vicious snake.

"Now I definitely believe you are the son of that scum," Seto hissed. "Mana, take the ring from him in case he gets any ideas." Mana wasted no time in removing the item from Ramses' neck - an act which brought the boy back to reality.

"What now, Pharaoh?" asked the holder of the Millennium Key. "I see an evil Ka within him. Should we have him trialed?"

"No," Seto answered. "His beast will not be one so easily mastered. I doubt an ordinary stone tablet will hold it." He frowned down at the white-haired boy. "Ramses, for your disrespect of the imperial court and your countless acts of theft and tomb theft, and for you links to the evil band of six, I hereby sentence you to death."

Ramses' eyes widened as he stared up at Seto, but he was quick to accept his fate. He knew that the moment he entered the palace he would be greatly shortening his life span, but that didn't change the fact that he was afraid of death. Seto had been known for his brutal methods of execution, but luckily for him he was given a less painful sentence.

The teen was dragged from the palace by guards who were on horseback while he was on foot. His eyes were glazed over as he was taken to his place of execution.

He stood by the Nile with his wrists bound together and heavy stones dangling from them, a crowd of people watching the following scenario almost eagerly.

"You have committed many crimes, Ramses," Seto told him. "The practice of black magic. Theft. Tomb theft. Assault. Rebellion."

Ramses said nothing.

"You attacked High Priestess Mana in order to claim her Millennium Ring," Seto continued. "And upon wearing it, your soul should have been burned away. But instead you showed that you could wear it and control it; let me tell you now, you are not the first evil thief to successfully wear the ring. Your soul is so evil much like the man who came before you, and there is no way for you to redeem yourself. You are beyond saving."

Ramses would disagree with such words as he stood there and trembled, trying not to let the situation weigh him down. Too bad for him it would literally weigh him down in a few short moments.

It was evident that Seto did not want to announce that Ramses was the son of the man he was talking about. He wanted that knowledge to die with Ramses. Perhaps this was because Seto was considering the future, where he knew Atem and the Thief King would meet again. If the Thief King knew that his own son was executed, no doubt he would use that as an excuse to feel hatred and give himself more power. Killing Ramses and making everyone forget about him was the safest option.

"Before you are condemned to your grave of water, do you have anything to say?" Seto asked him.

There was a silence. Ramses clenched his teeth together in some weak attempt to restrain his already-leaking tears as he stood shaking. He took in a sharp breath, lifting his head to look at everyone with his tearful gaze.

"This isn't over..." he whispered quietly. "This is far from over... You people are the evil ones!"

He clutched his binds as he lowered his head again, tears dripping onto the sand. "I curse you all..." he snarled tearfully. "When the king and the queen have their spirits reunited, this world will be plunged into darkness! I will come back, stronger than ever, and I will finish what they started! You'll all suffer for what you did to them!"

"Push him in," Seto interrupted coldly. The two guards standing closest to Ramses suddenly pushed him back so that he fell into the river. The sudden action had caught Ramses off guard and he made a feeble attempt to swim, but his bound wrists with heavy stones hanging from them did not aid him in any way. His struggles only made his descent into the darkness quicker.

Ramses watched as the surface grew more and more distant, with the plants of the Nile tangling around him. The muffled sounds of the surface could no longer be heard, and any blurred figures could be seen leaving the site. Everyone had left him to die.

His lungs began to fill with water as he took in a desperate gasp. Life was slipping away from him. He could feel his ability to breathe fading away as he tried desperately to shout. Any tears could not be seen now that he had been submerged in water. During his last moments of consciousness he tried to thrash around in one final attempt to free himself, but soon he was nothing. He was just a floating body, with no bubbles leaving his mouth or nose as he remained at the bottom of the Nile. He never resurfaced.

Not as Ramses, at least.

His skin went pure white, with his hair whitening even more, if that were possible. The whites of his eyes became black and his purple eyes became bright green, with slits instead of regular pupils. The markings on his eyes stained as if they were part of him.

His soul was corrupted.

This was who he was now.

He had abandoned his identity as Ramses, the orphan boy, and had instead accepted his identity as Apophis, the god of chaos.

He waited for thousands of years for the king and the queen's souls to reunite.

That was when he finally resurfaced.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	43. Chapter XLII

**~Chapter XLII~**

"Stop it!" Apophis cried, thrashing against Akefia's grip as the other male held his wrists firmly. "Get away from me!"

There was no emotion in Akefia's face as he watched the young man reduce himself from his godly status to nothing but a begging coward. The thief shook the shorter male to get his attention. "Stop it," he commanded quietly.

"Let go!" Apophis hollered, tears rolling down his face as he tried his best to pull away. "I am a god!"

"Stop it," Akefia repeated, his voice still soft but raspy. "You're my son. You're Ramses."

"Ramses is gone!" Apophis howled. "He's dead! Seto drowned him thousands of years ago!"

"Oh, for the love of the gods, get a hold of yourself!" Akefia snapped suddenly, raising one hand and slapping Apophis hard across the cheek to stop him from wriggling and yelling. "You are my son. Apophis. Ramses. They are both just names. Neither name defines who you are."

Apophis still had tears streaming as he stood trembling in Akefia's grasp, shaking his head. "It's too late," he wept. "It's too late for me to be someone else now. If I don't live up to my word, I'll die again! My soul will be destroyed!"

"I won't let it," Akefia assured, his expression still vacant. "There is no time where we are. You can still change all of this. We can change this."

There was a brief silence before Apophis sniffled and whimpered. "I just wanted to have a family..." he admitted under his breath. "I wanted my mother... I wanted my father..."

Akefia's expression softened slightly as he stared at the weakened being. He understood him completely. In his youth he would have done the same. He would have done anything to bring back his parents, but he didn't even know where to look for them. Their bodies became the gold which was used to forge the Millennium Items, and their bitter spirits silently haunted Kul Elna, but he did not know which spirit was which. Ramses had grown up alone, with everyone he loved dying around him, and he just wanted to have his parents back. He wanted to be a normal boy with an ordinary life, but his identity as the mortal Apophis and his status as an orphan - the orphan who was the son of the Thief King and Nefertari - it was impossible for him to live normally.

This was the truth. This was the solution to the riddle. Ramses, the boy with hardly any joy in his life, had his life snatched away from him after he became a desperate individual searching for comfort and company. Ramses wasn't a man controlled by Apophis - he and Apophis were one in the same. He was the mortal incarnation of Apophis' spirit. He had tried to live, but he succumbed to his identity as a god and turned bitter. But, despite his curse for plunge the world into darkness, all he really wanted was his family. He wanted to see his parents and get to know them. He never thought that day would come, but now it had. Now, for the first time, he was speaking to his father. He was in his father's arms, listening to his voice and seeing his face.

Akefia pulled the young god close, wrapping his arms around him. The action seemed to frighten and shock Apophis as his body stiffened, his eyes widening. His father, the man he had been searching for all this time, was hugging him. This wasn't just a memorable moment for Apophis, either; this was a moment Akefia was going to remember. This was the son he never knew about, and when he found out about him he believed his spirit was gone. But he was holding him in his arms.

Apophis suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around Akefia. "Father!" he cried out loudly. Akefia glanced down, only to see that the god had reverted into his true original form. His skin was dark and his eyes were purple, but he remained in his black and green robes which also shielded his ankh scar caused by the branding. He was done fighting. It was over.

Akefia stroked the head of Ramses, comforting him as he held him close. "I'm here," he said softly. "You do not have to fight anymore."

"Father... forgive me..." Ramses pleaded, burying his face in Akefia's shoulder as he held onto him. "I don't want to be alone anymore... I don't want to suffer eternal pain!"

"You won't," Akefia assured, "but you must put an end to this madness. Restore time and let everyone go back to where they belong."

Ramses looked up at Akefia, with the man returning his gaze. The younger individual knew that he had to do the right thing, even though he feared the consequences. He understood that he didn't deserve a happy ending - not after what he had done.

Slowly, Ramses nodded his head, wiping away his tears with his hands. "I'll do it," he mumbled. "I'll... I'll put everything right..."

As he said those words, the white world began to vanish, returning Akefia and Ramses to the false Egypt where everyone had been standing frozen in time. The others still looked ready to attack Apophis, though many were confused when seeing this new form of his.

"Everybody, stop!" Ryo commanded immediately, mainly speaking to Atem, who was preparing to summon his Millennium Puzzle in order to shatter Apophis' soul throughout time. The fighting between Kiro, Akuma, Sakura and Riko also ceased.

"What's going on?" asked Sakura. "What happened to Apophis?"

"He got a tan," Riko guessed.

"No," Ryo responded to them. "I recognise him!" The white-haired teen looked at Janeiro. "Don't you recognise him, too?!"

"Wait..." gasped Janeiro softly. "Is that... Ramses...?"

"Ramses..." came Nefertari's voice as she stared with wide eyes, dropping her spear. Having watched Ramses grow during her time in the afterlife, Nefertari could tell it was him.

"Ramses!" Akuto exclaimed, running over immediately and grabbing the teen by his shoulders, seeing the lost expression in his eyes. "Ramses, is that really you?! If this is some trick Apophis is playing then I'll do unspeakable things to you!"

"No tricks," Ramses murmured, shaking his head. He gazed at Akuto as if amazed to see him this close again, having lost him all those years ago. Hearing his mother also made him feel a warm feeling within; his whole family was together at last.

"Darn it, Ramses," Akuto reacted, trying not to sound relieved as he pulled the boy close, embracing him. "I should've taken better care of you."

"You should've," Akefia spat, containing his anger. "If you weren't a drunken fool then you could've given him a better life."

"Oh, don't even start, Thief King," Akuto hissed, his magenta eyes narrowing. "I was the one who shielded him during your attack on the Capital."

"You can't possibly hold onto that," Akefia huffed. "I didn't know I had a son until very recently."

"You shouldn't have attacked in the first place," Akuto shot back.

"Not now, you boys," Nefetari scolded as she walked over, taking Ramses by the hand and clutching it tightly. "Ramses... Is this really you?"

"It was always me," Ramses admitted, his voice still quiet as he also clutched his mother's hand. "I'm sorry, mother, I didn't want to cause all of this chaos... I just... I hated the world so much... Everyone was cruel, and everyone who was nice was... killed..."

"I know, I know..." Nefertari cooed, pulling Ramses from Akuto's arms into her own so that she could stroke his head and comfort him. "You're not the only one who felt that the world was your enemy... Just ask your father."

"That's not funny," Akefia grumbled, folding his arms with a glare on his face. Nefertari tittered just as she always would in the past.

"As grouchy as I remember," she responded with a nostalgic tone to her voice.

"I don't... I don't get it," Riko murmured. "Who's Ramses?"

"Ramses is Nefertari's son," Mahad answered for her, an expression on his face which was difficult to read. "And his father was the Thief King."

"Ew," was Riko's immediate response, earning a death glare from Akefia. Needless to say, the cold scowl was all she needed to shut up.

"The world was cruel a long time ago," Ramses said to his mother. "We all have stories to tell about how life was unfair."

"I disagree," Akefia cut in, glaring in the direction of both Mahad and Atem.

"Most of us, then," Ramses corrected. "But the world... is not so simple. I didn't think I would awaken in an era where people were so connected. You all worked together to stop me, and you never gave up on each other. That's something I would have never seen back in Ancient Egypt..." The boy smiled, looking at the modern individuals: Ryo, Janeiro, Riko and Sakura. "It's really interesting, too, to see how the good parts of life never change. Kiro and Akuma are still friends in this modern timeline, and your reincarnated souls are still united. Friendship, love and family will never change."

"I'm beginning to wonder if you truly are my son," Akefia responded, earning a punch to the shoulder from Akuto. The grey-haired man frowned at the magenta-eyed bandit. "Am I not allowed to make jokes?"

"As always, your sense of humour is tasteless," Akuto retorted.

"I've never liked you," Akefia grumbled.

"The feeling is mutual," Akuto countered swiftly.

Nefertari smiled, ruffling Ramses' hair. "I'm proud of you," she told him. "I know you may feel guilty for what you did, but it was you who brought us all together. We are all here because of you."

"I tried to kill everyone..." Ramses sighed sadly.

"But you didn't," Nefertari reminded him. "You were brought back to your senses."

"And now I will finish what I started," Ramses announced. "I will return the worlds to normal. Everyone from the present day will return to their time, and the rest of you will return to the afterlife. I'll see to it that the Desert Children are released from their evil hearts, too."

"I doubt my soul will be allowed into the afterlife," Akefia pointed out. "My soul is destined to be destroyed. If I try to pass on, I will be devoured by the Chimeras."

"No," said Ramses. "You will be able to pass on, father. I'll make sure of it."

"So will I," added Nefertari, taking Akefia by the arm. "I've been apart from you for too long. If I can't be with you, then my soul will die with yours."

A slight smile was on Akefia's face as he held Nefertari close. "Heh heh... it shouldn't be too hard," he sniggered. "I've raided tombs filled with traps and escaped with no wounds. How hard can it be to walk into the afterlife? I'll just sneak my way through."

"That's my thief," Nefertari smiled up at him.

"I need to make a start to setting everything right," Ramses said. "Everything that is corrupted... shall now be undone." Once more he clicked his fingers, and suddenly everyone was no longer standing in the palace of the false Egypt, but instead before the door which would lead into the afterlife - something Atem recognised. Everyone, including those who went to distract the Desert Children and the Desert Children themselves, were present in the large room. Not only was everyone present, but any sign of corruption had been erased from each Desert Child, including the emotionless Sabu who now had such youthful hope in his eyes. It wasn't just the Desert Children who were altered, either; at long last, Kiro and Akuma had been restored to their human forms.

"Hey, check it out!" chirped Kiro. "I'm me again!"

"Same here!" Akuma added, examining her own body.

"By the Darklords of my deck, I'm still hideous," murmured Riko, who cringed at the sight of her ancestor.

Nefertari approached her two friends, at first with a smile which was quick to fade. She remembered that it was her fault they became monsters.

"I'm sorry," the young woman apologized. "I only wanted to save your lives. Death would have been better; you could have passed on as pure spirits."

"Hey, don't worry about it, queenie!" Kiro grinned. "It was kinda fun being fused with my Ka. Just... a little too fun, heh heh!"

"I hate her so much," Riko grumbled. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You know, that Egyptian guy is here," the blonde girl said to the girl in the leather jacket. "Go and hit on him or something."

"Why would I do that?" Riko laughed awkwardly, attempting to hide her admiration for Marik. As she glanced at him, she saw that he was speaking with Yugi, Joey, Tristan and Tea. It was Tea's presence that made her narrow her eyes. "I'll be right back, sis," the black-haired girl spoke up, making her way swiftly over to the group. Sakura smiled and shook her head at the sight.

"So, Apophis and Ramses are the same person," said Kubui as he strolled over to Ramses, followed by Haku, Tauren, Kekku and Sabu. "Akila mentioned that you had some weird snake power when he entered the afterlife."

"Kubui," Ramses gasped. "I am truly sorry for dragging you into this mess. I got so carried away..."

"Ah, shut it, ya little wuss!" laughed Kekku, his arm around Sabu. "Sure, you dragged us all out of the afterlife, but we've all spent five thousand years just poncing about in there. It was fun to do something! Besides, you finally freed Sabu and those other kids from your control!"

"I kinda miss my powers, though," Sabu added. "Turning into sand was fun."

"I owed it to them all," Ramses admitted. "Even though Apophis and I are now one, the Apophis before my birth was a very different one. It was cruel of him to take advantage of those children."

"Well, we were going to die in the desert," Sabu reminded him. "You saved our lives."

"That's true," Ramses agreed.

"So then, what are we all supposed to do now?" Akefia queried. "Is this where everyone is to say their heartfelt goodbyes? I advise everyone to make theirs quick; emotional farewells are not my forte."

"I will open the door to the afterlife, then all of the spirits can enter," Ramses planned. "It may take some time, so everyone can say farewell to one another while I'm opening it."

"Hmph," grunted Akefia, folding his arms.

Tea had her arms wrapped around Atem. "It was great to see you again, Pharaoh," she told him with a tearful smile. Atem had been fairly surprised by the hug, but he smiled softly.

"It was great to see you, too, Tea," he responded kindly.

"Yeah!" came Joey's voice as he pat Atem on the back - a little too hard. "We should do this again some other time!"

"I wouldn't exactly wish for the world to almost end again," Tristan replied before smiling at the pharaoh, "but I get what he's trynna say! We should see each other again some time."

"I'm sure we will, Tristan," Atem nodded in agreement. He then turned to Yugi, who approached with a thoughtful smile.

"That would be great," the young boy said. "It really was great to see you again, Pharaoh."

"You and I won't be parted forever, Yugi," Atem assured him, "and I sense that we will be seeing each other again very soon."

"So, about archaeology, do you know if there are any job openings in Cairo?" Riko asked Marik while Atem was saying farewell to his friends. Marik just shook his head.

"You're not actually interested in archaeology," he said blatantly.

"I'll have you know I'm half Egyptian," Riko informed him. "I'm actually very interested in looking for old stuff!" Marik sighed.

"There are other areas to explore near where Nefertari's tomb was discovered," he revealed. "You can volunteer for one week. I'll be able to tell if you're up for the job or not."

Riko fist-bumped the air proudly, feeling as if she had succeeded. She was going to own that week.

"It's open," Ramses announced as a bright light beamed through the open door. He caught the attention of everybody present, turning back to look at everyone. "Well then... you can all go through."

"Come on, Tauren," smiled Haku, taking him by the hand. "Let's go back to reading and writing; I really need to relax after this."

"As do I," Tauren replied with a nod. The pair approached the door, waving their goodbyes to the others just before passing through.

"I suppose I must follow," said Anku in his usual suspicious tone. He almost glided to the door, bowing to everyone before striding through.

"Let's go, Master Mahad!" chirped Mana, skipping towards the afterlife's entrance. Mahad only walked after her, walking past Akefia coldy but stopping a few steps later, glancing back at Nefertari.

"I hope you can be happy now," he told her. "You were heartbroken for five thousand years. Now you have everything you lost." With that, he turned and followed Mana through the door. Nefertari silently thought about his words.

"Welp, guess we're next!" grinned Kekku. "Come on, Sabu!" Sabu smirked, looking back at the other former Desert Children.

"Let's make this a race," he said to them all. The grin vanished from Kekku's face.

"No, no, no!" he yelled, darting through the door. Sabu and the others laughed loudly as they ran after him.

"Someone's gotta keep an eye on that Kekku," sighed Kubui, though he was smiling to show he was joking. "Not two eyes; one of mine is already useless." He gave a flirtatious wave before leaping into the light.

"I feel like we should at least say goodbye to our reincarnations," Kiro thought out loud, observing Riko and Sakura. Akuma chuckled and shook her head.

"If that girl is anything like you, she'd probably challenge you to a fight," the blonde girl responded. "It's better to just leave her to do whatever she's going." Sakura, on the other hand, saw that her ancestor was preparing to leave, and the pair decided to exchange friendly waves. Akuma then looked in Atem's direction. "Hey, Pharaoh! If you hurry up, I'll grab you a drink in one of the afterlife's taverns."

Atem watched as both girls went through. He vaguely remembered Akuma, both from when she was human and from when she was a monster. He chose to consider her offer - sometimes the afterlife could be boring.

Akuto was the next one to approach the door, though he briefly stopped by Akefia. "Don't think our problems have been resolved," he growled to him. "I'm still gonna kick your butt for what you did to me."

"Heh, I invite you to try," Akefia mocked with a smug but hateful grin. Akuto didn't smile at all. He turned back and waved at everyone, mainly waving at Janeiro, before making his way through the afterlife's door.

Atem was next, after he said his final goodbyes to everyone. He stepped before the door, turning his head to look back at Akefia with a smile. "I look forward to dueling you again, Thief King," he said to him. "It's nice to see that your spirit can now rest."

"Tch, don't talk to me as if I am your friend, Pharaoh," Akefia spat. "I still despise your family and your court. If I encounter you, I will not hold back."

"I know," Atem responded calmly. "I always do expect you to be my best opponent." And with that said, Atem walked through the light. Akefia grit his teeth irritably.

"Tell your father I'm not through with him!" he called out to the pharaoh. Nefertari put her hand on his shoulder.

"It's just us now," she told him, a smile on her face. "We're going to be together again. Forever."

Akefia placed his hand upon hers thoughtfully, though he didn't bring himself to smile. Instead he looked back at Ramses. "Are you coming?" he asked him. Ramses looked at the ground shamefully.

"I'm not sure..." he murmured under his breath. "I don't think I'm ready... I've got so much that I must make up for - my spirit is too tainted..."

"I'm not going to lose you again, Ramses," Nefertari spoke up. "Please. Please, come with us. We'll walk in together; I can guide you both, as an official afterlife resident."

"Very funny," Akefia grumbled.

Ramses lifted his head, a look of hope in his eyes. "Do you really think I can make it, mother?"

"Anyone can," Nefertari answered with a smile. "Come on; I know you can do it."

The trio looked towards the door, preparing for their journey into the afterlife, before they were called out to by Ryo.

"Wait!" he called, running up to them with Janeiro at his side. He almost looked frightened when the three turned around, and for a moment he didn't know what to say. "I just... I don't know what to say. Janeiro and I spent so much time trying to solve the puzzle, and now it's all over. I feel as though I have so many questions for you all..."

"Are you certain he's my reincarnation?" Akefia muttered to Nefertari. The woman chose not to respond to his comment.

"So it was you two who did most of the work," Ramses remembered. "I'm sorry if I acted as an obstacle, but you two did a brilliant job. If it wasn't for you both, nobody would have remembered the forgotten royalty. It was you two who started the disaster and then finished it as you were destined to." The teen looked to Janeiro. "I remember you," he recalled. "You're the one who lost a portion of her soul to the Millennium Ring. That's partially my fault; allow me to repair the damage." He pointed his finger at her, and the girl suddenly jumped as if something zapped her.

"Janeiro?" Ryo questioned with a worried look.

"I... I don't feel so empty..." Janeiro gasped, feeling her body as if it had been physically repaired. "I can feel a difference... I'm whole again!"

"That's wonderful!" Ryo smiled, grasping her hands joyfully. "Oh, Janeiro, I'm so happy for you!"

"Look at them," Akefia huffed. "They're not us."

"You shouldn't be so harsh to them," replied Ramses. "Your souls still find each other even in this era. In fact, I've witnessed thousands of different timelines where your souls still find each other." Akefia looked at him oddly.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I was waiting to be freed for over five thousand years," Ramses reminded him. "I was bored. I wanted to see if we ever did live a happy family life."

"And did we?" Akefia asked, raising his eyebrow curiously. Ramses smiled in response.

"You're going to be in the afterlife for eternity," he told him. "Why don't you and mother witness the events for yourself?"

"I'll do that when there's nothing better to do," Akefia grumbled. "Now, shall we get going?"

"We probably should," Ramses answered. Nefertari glanced back at Ryo and Janeiro with a smile.

"I wish the best for you both," she said to them. "You live in a world much safer than ours. Embrace your time together."

"Together?" Janeiro asked with a blush.

"Leave the children be, Nefertari, we really must get going," Akefia growled. "The door is going to close if we wait too long, is it not?"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Nefertari chuckled, shaking her head as she looked at the modern duo once again. "Take care of each other, okay? And don't feel so threatened by him; he's a big softy at heart."

"Nefertari!" Akefia snapped back at her. Nefertari turned around and walked to his side, grasping his hand as Ramses stood just in front of them.

"Well, here goes nothing," Ramses gulped, walking forwards and heading through the door. Akefia and Nefertari both looked at each other, nodding their heads before following him inside. The entrance slowly began to seal up, but, as it did, Ryo and Janeiro both saw the couple embracing each other with smiles on their faces, with an infant Ramses being held between them. They looked like a real happy family. Not only that, but upon Nefertari's wrist was her golden snake bracelet. As promised, Akefia had returned it to her after joining her in the afterlife. The light was then extinguished as the door closed, with the happy family being the last thing Ryo and Janeiro saw.

"Our journey comes to an end," Ishizu announced. "It is time for us to leave and return to our current lives."

"Right," nodded Ryo as he smiled at Janeiro, taking her by the hand. "Shall we, then?" Janeiro smiled back at him sweetly.

"I'm with you," she replied.

Bakura stood lingering in the shadows, having watched the whole scene with a frown on his face. But the sound of choked coughing caught his attention. Leaning against a pillar was Rena, who stumbled forwards and collapsed to the floor. Bakura's expression barely changed to show concern as he hurried to her side, lifting her into his arms as he sat beside her. Rena lay there in his lap, gasping and desperately for breath.

"You're weakening," Bakura noticed, with no real emotion in his voice at all. The Millennium Ring had vanished when Ramses brought everyone back to reality, so he could not offer that as a way to bring back her energy.

"Nefertari's hatred is gone..." Rena gasped. "A-And... and so is Apophis' spirit... The only thing keeping me alive... is... is the rogue part of your soul..." Bakura raised his eyebrow.

"Your point being?" he asked.

"I can't hold on much longer..." Rena revealed breathlessly, gripping Bakura's shirt.

"You can," Bakura corrected. Despite his lack of emotion, he sounded like he wanted to help Rena. "There will be a way to restore your energy." Rena shook her head.

"Even if there is, there is no time..." she told him. "I'm not supposed to exist, Bakura... I'm... I'm just an amalgamation of souls... Besides, I've served my purposes... I was born because you wanted to return for revenge, and I continued to exist to bring Apophis into existence... Now I'm... I'm empty..."

"Can't you just go back to little Janeiro?" Bakura queried. "She is still your vessel."

"Her soul is whole again..." Rena answered, her eyelids fluttering. "I can't... I can't go back to her..."

"There must be a way," Bakura hissed.

"There is none..." Rena announced.

"There will be!" Bakura snapped down at her angrily.

"Bakura..." Rena coughed.

"You're a fool, Rena!" Bakura continued. "That is why you are weak!"

"Bakura, listen to me!" Rena suddenly shouted, entering a coughing fit after using such strength to yell. The white-haired male fell silent, staring down at her with wide but empty eyes as Rena continued. "I cannot hold on...! I can feel my life fading...!" She weakly reached up, placing one hand on his cheek. "There... There is... There is still hope for you, however... If you absorb the part of your soul which remains within me, then... then you will be whole... You can continue your fight..."

Bakura stared down at her in silence, not wanting to believe she was right. He watched as she struggled to breathe while fighting to remain conscious, and the sight told him that she was suffering.

The evil spirit nodded his head, his expression still dark. Rena only smiled upon seeing that he was accepting the last of her soul. She thoughtfully stroked his hair before caressing his cheek again.

"You and I... are more alike to the king and queen than we thought..." she wavered. "Bakura... I believe if things were different, we could have... been like them..."

"You're delusional," Bakura hissed.

"Heh, maybe so..." Rena chuckled sadly. "Maybe I think there is... more of the thief in you than there really is... But my feelings don't matter... All that matters is that... you... you will be strong again..."

"And you will be erased from existence," Bakura added somewhat thoughtfully, holding the hand Rena had against his cheek. His eyes were half-closed, but he didn't know exactly what he was feeling.

"I-I know..." Rena sighed weakly, trying to hide tears which were forming in her eyes. "Don't remind me..."

"Tch, you're weak," Bakura snarled, clutching the hand even tighter. "You shouldn't cry - are you sure a part of little Janeiro's soul isn't still inside you?"

"Shut up..." Rena growled, suddenly clawing at his face as she gasped painfully, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I can't hold on anymore... Bakura, please...! Just... just take my soul before it vanishes without purpose..."

Bakura narrowed his eyes, wincing at how Rena scratched his face. He pulled her hand away from his cheek but continued to hold it tightly, then moving it so that it was pressed against his chest. "You know what to do."

Rena could barely lift her head to look up at his frowning gaze, but she knew exactly what he was referring to. Just like how she transferred Bakura's soul into Ryo's body, she dug her nails into the male's chest to give him the last of her soul. A sudden pain went up her spine as her back arched, her eyes going wide as she gasped loudly. Her body began to have violent spasms as her mouth hung open, her grasp on life slipping quickly. Using her free hand she once again held his cheek. "S...So l-long... my d-d-dark... p-prin...ce..."

Her hand slipped from his cheek and fell to her side.

Her entire body was limp.

Lifeless.

Bakura only stared down at her, his frown seeming to be a little more thoughtful. In his arms lay the lifeless Rena. She had given the rest of her soul to him for him to use.

As her hand slipped from his chest, something fell from it. Bakura curiously picked it up, only to see a Duel Monsters card. He was holding Ruin, Queen of Oblivion: a ritual card which could only be summoned using the spell card "End of the World".

This was all he had left of her.

Bakura placed the card into the pocket of his trench coat before standing up, still holding Rena in his arms. He turned on his heel to leave, only to hear Janeiro's voice.

"Bakura!" she called out, causing him to stop without looking back at her. "You... You had feeling for her, didn't you...? You're... You're more alike to Akefia than you thought..."

"Tch," Bakura hissed. "Do not confuse me with that thief, little Janeiro. I don't feel what you pathetic mortals feel." The pale young man grinned, though it wasn't alike to his usual smug smiles. "I only feel alive when I gain power, and power is what Rena has given me." He turned his head to shoot a deadly stare at Janeiro, still with the almost sad grin on his face. "This is not over. You and your friends haven't seen the last of me." The spirit's grin vanished and was replaced by a hateful frown. "But, for now, I'll let you celebrate this little victory. It won't last forever." Having finished saying what he had to say, Bakura made his way out, carrying Rena's lifeless body with him so that he could give her a proper burial.

Janeiro watched Bakura leave with a sad gaze before returning to the others. Ryo was the only other individual who witnessed what had happened between Rena and Bakura, so he shared Janeiro's look of sadness. The boy pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her protectively; he could understand that Janeiro was not only feeling somewhat sad for Bakura, but she was also mourning for a part of her soul which she had now lost. While Rena may have been responsible for so much damage, she was still a part of her for over three years.

"I guess we should all get going," said Yugi as he and the others caught up to the pair. "We really do need to get back to school."

"You're right, Yugi," Ryo nodded, taking Janeiro by the hand. "Let's go, Janeiro."

"Hey, don't we need to catch a plane first?" Joey asked.

"Oh, yeah," Yugi laughed nervously. "Don't worry, guys, we're gonna get back."

"Would you like to sit beside me on the flight home?" Janeiro asked Ryo shyly as she looked at him. Ryo smiled sweetly in return.

"I'd love to," he answered.

 **~End of Chapter~**


	44. Chapter XLIII

**~Chapter XLIII~**

 _Domino High School, Japan, Present Day_

It was finally over.

Everyone was able to safely return to their rightful places, with the majority of the group returning to Domino High School. It wouldn't be long until the end of the school year.

"Well, that was quite an adventure," Sakura smiled as she walked through the corridor with the group.

"I'm just glad everything's over," Yugi admitted.

"Indeed," Ryo nodded in agreement. "I'm also glad that my ancestor was able to finally pass on, and it's wonderful that Ramses was able to join his family at last."

"I just hope the Thief King doesn't trouble the pharaoh too much," Yugi responded.

"I'm sure he'll be alright," Ryo assured. "Besides, Akefia and Nefertari have five thousand years to catch up on."

"Do you think they will do what Ramses told them to do?" asked Janeiro. "Do you think they will explore the different timelines?"

"They may do that," Ryo answered. "After all, they're going to spend eternity in the afterlife."

"What about Ramses?" questioned Tea.

"Ramses is different," Ryo explained. "Since he is the mortal incarnation of Apophis, it is quite possible for him to make an easy return."

"That's not a bad thing, is it?" Tea gulped. Ryo chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"I believe we can trust him," he stated.

"As do I," agreed Janeiro.

Sakura felt a vibration in her pocket, quickly taking out her phone. "Hold on a sec," she instructed the others. "Riko is calling."

"Riko?" Tea reacted.

"How's she doing?" Yugi asked with a smile.

"Hey, sis," Sakura greeted. "What's up?"

 _"Oh, nothing,"_ replied Riko. _"Marik and I have just been examining Nefertari's tomb. Are you okay with having Akuma's scythe given to the museum?"_

"Yes, why do you ask?" Sakura responded, raising an eyebrow.

 _"I just wanted to know because I'm keeping the sceptre,"_ Riko grinned _. "It's cool, and now there's nothing inside it that can possess me. I seriously thought you'd do the same!"_

"I'm not interested in keeping a deadly artifact, Riko," Sakura sighed, shaking her head. "I hope you're not causing that Marik guy too much trouble."

 _"Hey, don't worry about him!"_ Riko laughed. _"We've got quite a few things in common, you know. We both love motorcycles and now we've both been possessed by corrupted evil spirits! He's such a cool guy, Sakura; he's even offered to take me out for a ride on his bike to a cool bar in the city."_

"Sounds like you two are actually getting along," Sakura chuckled. "As for your archaeology job?"

 _"Marik said he wouldn't mind having an extra pair of hands at his side at all times,"_ Riko answered. _"Think he means I get to keep the job!"_

"That's great!" Sakura smiled. "You'll be coming back to Japan, though, right?"

 _"Of course!"_ Riko assured her. _"I'll be back in a week to finish school, then when we graduate I'll be travelling again."_

"At least you have plans," Sakura responded. "Well, take care, Riko."

 _"You too, Sakura,"_ Riko echoed. The black-haired girl was the one to swiftly end the call, presumably because Marik was approaching her to discuss the potential dig sites.

Sakura looked back at the others. "She's doing alright," she informed them. "Apparently her and Marik are getting along just fine."

"Isn't that lovely?" Ryo reacted, smiling happily. "I never thought Riko could get along with someone like Marik. Perhaps there is more to her than we thought."

"There's a lot you don't know about either of us," Sakura chuckled.

Joey then put his arm around Ryo, pulling him close with a wide grin on his face. "So, about you and Janeiro, eh?" he asked the smaller male. "Made a move yet?"

"U-Um..." Ryo stuttered, now looking uncomfortable. He watched as Janeiro walked ahead, not hearing the conversation.

"C'mon, you've both got a thing for each other!" Joey laughed. "She's too shy to ask you, so you've gotta ask her."

Ryo thoughtfully stared at Janeiro, really thinking about Joey's words. He had always considered Janeiro his close friend and never wanted to ruin that, but after seeing the history of their connection he truly did believe that they were meant to be together forever. With the confidence he gained from his recent adventure, he smiled and looked back at his blond friend.

"I'm in no hurry," he told him. "Janeiro and I already understand how close we are, and we have all the time in the world - more than that, in fact." His brown eyes returned to look at Janeiro. "But... I suppose it is time for one of us to take things further."

The white-haired male quickened his pace so that he was walking beside Janeiro. After clearing his throat, he asked: "Janeiro, do you have any weekend plans?"

Janeiro replied with the answer: "Not at all." A small smile was on her face, and Ryo's expression was very similar.

"I was wondering if you would like to come with me to a new ice cream parlour not far from the museum," the boy offered. "Then maybe afterwards we could... spend some time together?"

The small smile on Janeiro's face widened, her eyes sparkling with joy. "I'd... I'd like that a lot," she answered.

"Saturday?" Ryo suggested.

"Saturday," Janeiro confirmed. Her acceptance of the offer filled Ryo with happiness and butterflies.

"Well, look at you two!" Joey called out, grinning. "You guys are finally going on a date!"

"Joey!" Ryo gasped, his face turning pink. Janeiro tittered behind her hand quietly, similar to how Nefertari would titter in response to Akefia's embarrassed or irritable reactions.

"It's okay, Ryo," she assured him, putting her hand on his arm. "I... wouldn't mind describing it as a date..."

Janeiro's response filled Ryo with relief, although it still fueled Joey's fun.

"Heh heh! Ryo's finally got someone!" he laughed. "Way to go, Ryo!"

"Hey, I just realised something!" Tristan announced. "Ryo? Janeiro? Their names go so well together!"

"Oh yeah!" Tea agreed. "Like that place in Brazil, right? Rio de Janeiro!"

"Maybe some day we should go there," Janeiro smiled at Ryo, speaking quietly to not draw attention to herself. Ryo returned her smile.

"One day we will," he assured her, hugging her happily. That's when the bell rang, letting the students know that class was about to start.

"Uh oh, we'd better hurry!" Yugi announced. "Come on, guys!"

The group ran together, but Janeiro bumped into another student with long blue hair which had been styled, along with piercing yellow eyes. It was someone she didn't know at all yet, but she knew he was in her class.

"Oh no," Janeiro gasped after rubbing her head. "I-I'm so sorry, um..."

"It's okay," the blue-haired boy smiled after rubbing his own head. "You're the new girl, aren't you?"

"U-Um, yes..." Janeiro answered shyly. The boy smiled, holding out his hand to shake hers.

"Aigami," he introduced.

"J-Janeiro..." Janeiro responded, shaking his hand. Aigami briefly cast a glance in Ryo's direction as he continued speaking to the girl.

"You and I should get to know each other," he said to her. "We could be friends."

"That... would be nice..." Janeiro replied hesitantly, nervously rubbing her arm. Aigami bowed his head politely before continuing his way to class.

Janeiro turned to Ryo, seeing that he had a look of worry on his face. Not only that, but he was scratching his arm. The girl took hold of his wrist, giving him a worried look.

"Don't do that..." she whispered with concern. "What's the matter...?"

"I-It's nothing..." Ryo stuttered, shaking his head and forcing a smile.

"You were scratching your arm..." Janeiro pointed out. "You used to do that when we were younger..." She recalled how Ryo would scratch his arms when they were children, usually when he was reminded of Amane and his mother. It was a reaction to trauma - a reaction he hadn't had for years.

"I'm sorry..." Ryo murmured. "Something just... reminded me of a bad memory, that's all..."

Janeiro didn't want to upset Ryo, so instead held his hand and pulled him close. She gave the boy a reassuring smile. "I'm here for you," she reminded him. "I always will be, alright? Now... let's get to class before we're given detention for being late."

Ryo stared at her for a moment before smiling back and nodding his head, and together the pair walked through the corridor towards their classroom. Ryo really was happy to have someone like Janeiro back in his life; she always was his shoulder to cry on when he was a child, and he would be hers. Now they were together again, and it seemed quite clear that nothing would keep them apart.

As for Yami Bakura, his world was much darker. Ryo and Janeiro knew that. He was still out there in his own body, and he was strong. They both believed that Rena's death had greatly affected him, but it wasn't going to make him soft. Instead he was preparing to attack once again, and this time nobody would get in his way. Rena had been his obstacle, but with his new card he knew that she was going to aid him this time. Using the Ruin, Queen of Oblivion card, he would build a new deck. His new deck would be strong, and he would use it to crush Yugi. He would crush Ryo. He would crush Janeiro. Everyone would fall one by one at the hands of his queen, and he would bring the king in to help her. But he would spend time preparing; after all, he knew that Yugi and his friends would face another opponent and the Millennium Ring very soon.

But for now everything was going to be fine. Before the next challenge, the group of friends would have time to relax. Ryo and Janeiro would finally be able to hang out without worrying about their alter-egos, although Ryo's scratching seemed to get worse and worse; it came to the point where he had to wear long-sleeved shirts under his iconic striped ones. But the important thing was that Ryo wasn't suffering alone, since now Janeiro was at his side. She was helping him to get through it. However, the most important thing was this:

The royalty was no longer forgotten.

 **~End of Story~**


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